The special investigation team of the National Police Investigation Headquarters urgently arrested Korean National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Kim Bong-sik on the 11th.
The special investigation team announced at around 3:49 a.m. that day, “We have urgently arrested Commissioner Cho and Commissioner Kim on charges of rebellion.” Previously, Commissioner Cho appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Mapo building from 4 p.m. the previous day, and Commissioner Kim appeared at the Korean National Police Agency from 5:30 p.m., to be investigated by the special investigation team. The arrested Commissioner Cho and Commissioner Kim were transferred to Namdaemun Police Station's detention center in Seoul.
They are accused of preventing lawmakers and others heading to the National Assembly for a vote to lift the martial law by issuing a full access control measure to the parliamentary building twice after martial law was declared on the night of the 3rd, distributing the orders to field police. Commissioner Cho is also suspected of sending police forces to the National Election Commission (NEC) in cooperation with the execution of the martial law by martial law troops.
The special investigation team has forensically analyzed cell phones voluntarily submitted by Commissioners Cho and Kim and banned them from traveling overseas. They have also analyzed testimony from field police officers who were dispatched to the National Assembly and NEC sites and the radio records from that day.
It is reported that Commissioner Cho testified in the special investigation team's inquiry that the control of the National Assembly immediately after the declaration of martial law was under Cho's directive, and that the control following the announcement of the martial law proclamation order was at the request of Park An-soo, then Army Chief of Staff and martial law commander.
The police are to decide whether to apply for arrest warrants for Commissioner Cho and Commissioner Kim after further investigation. If they do not file for arrest warrants within 48 hours of arrest or cannot obtain one from the court, the individuals must be released.