The People Power Party sharply criticized the special counsel investigating the insurrection case for requesting an arrest warrant for Rep. Choo Kyung-ho. All lawmakers belonging to the People Power Party also submitted a petition to the Seoul Central District Court pleading Choo's innocence and calling for the warrant to be dismissed.
The People Power Party held a rally condemning the detention review for Rep. Choo on the afternoon of the 2nd in front of the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Choo, who is suspected of obstructing the National Assembly's vote to lift martial law during the Dec. 3 emergency martial law, appeared at court that day to undergo a detention review. The special counsel investigating the insurrection case applied the charge of "engaging in an important task related to insurrection" to Choo. A decision on whether to detain Choo is expected late tonight or early tomorrow.
Song Eon-seog, the People Power Party's floor leader, said at the rally, "Former floor leader Choo Kyung-ho only did what he was supposed to do that day as the floor leader. The warrant requested by the political special counsel is a third-rate science fiction novel, nothing more and nothing less," adding, "They claim there was a conspiracy to impose martial law, yet they have revealed nothing about who conspired with whom and what, and have presented no evidence at all."
Song said, "The Lee Jae-myung administration is trying to brand our party as an insurrectionist party to ultimately suppress and annihilate the opposition through political machinations," and criticized, "Can we just sit by and watch this irresponsible and vile political scheme to mislead the public with a calculated insurrection narrative all the way to next year's local elections?"
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok also said, "The arrest warrant for former floor leader Choo Kyung-ho is an arrest warrant against the Republic of Korea's liberal democracy," and emphasized, "After Choo Kyung-ho will be the People Power Party. And after that will be the people. That is why we must risk our lives to protect Rep. Choo Kyung-ho."
Jang said, "I trust the conscience and courage of Korea's judiciary. The warrant will surely be dismissed," adding, "Today will be the beginning of the 'people's counteroffensive' that ends Lee Jae-myung's lawless dictatorship."
The People Power Party also submitted to the Seoul Central District Court a petition signed by all 105 of its lawmakers, excluding only Choo Kyung-ho and Kweon Seong-dong.