On the 13th, the police stated that they consider the act of Eo Cheong-soo, the commissioner of the Korean National Police Agency, tearing up the martial law document received from President Yoon Suk-yeol three hours before the martial law announcement, as destruction of evidence.
An official from the special investigation team of the Korean National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters said in a briefing that they were unable to secure the 'martial law document' which Commissioner Eo reportedly received, and that during the investigation into any prior meetings or instructions regarding martial law, the parties involved claimed they do not clearly remember what was on the A4 paper. The absence of the document is considered destruction of evidence.
It is reported that on the 3rd, three hours before the martial law declaration, President Yoon summoned Commissioner Eo and Kim Bong-sik, the commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, to the presidential safe house in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to deliver a note on the agencies to be seized by the martial law troops. After declaring martial law, President Yoon reportedly called Commissioner Eo six times to instruct the arrest of key National Assembly members and others.
Roh Jeong-hwan, the lawyer representing Commissioner Eo, told reporters in the morning that the meeting between Commissioner Eo and President Yoon on the 3rd was brief, lasting only five minutes starting at 7:20 p.m. The president reportedly used terms like 'impeachment of the National Assembly' and 'pro-North Korea forces' in a resolute tone while explaining the justification of martial law. He then handed over an A4 sheet and left, according to the lawyer. Commissioner Eo reportedly tore up this sheet and does not remember which institutions were to be involved, claiming it was drafted in the Ministry of National Defense format.
Regarding the route Commissioner Eo took to the safe house in Samcheong-dong on the day martial law was declared, the police plan to analyze CCTV footage and conduct witness interviews with Eo's driver and staff members of the annex office. If necessary, additional searches of Commissioner Eo's residence will be conducted.
Commissioner Eo appeared before the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee and concealed the safe house meeting while providing false information about the itinerary. However, Eo appeared in the capacity of a department head and did not take an oath as a witness. A special investigation team official said, 'Legally, it is difficult to apply perjury charges, so this allegation was omitted from the warrant.'
The special investigation team seized a secure phone used by Commissioner Eo during six calls with President Yoon on the day of martial law. The secure phone is a secure mobile phone equipped with an anti-eavesdropping and call-recording prevention program. However, related servers have not been searched yet.
Previously, the police secured Commissioner Eo's personal mobile phone through voluntary submission. After conducting forensics over two days, the phone was returned. Kim Bong-sik, the commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who ordered control over National Assembly access, used a regular mobile phone.
The special investigation team revealed that during questioning, Commissioner Eo did not testify that Yeon In-hyung, the commander of the Military Counterintelligence Command, ordered the arrest of Director General Kim Dong-hyun. Judge Kim presided over the first trial of the perjury case involving Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and issued a not guilty verdict.
Four cabinet members who attended the emergency martial law cabinet meeting underwent witness questioning. The police also requested appearances from Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the People Power Party, with the dates for these summons being coordinated. Among military officials, nine were booked as suspects, and four were questioned as witnesses.