Police have launched an investigation into allegations that during the martial law incident on Dec. 3, martial law troops attempted to arrest National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik at the official residence of the National Assembly speaker immediately after a resolution was passed in the National Assembly demanding the lifting of martial law.
The Special Investigation Unit on Martial Law of the National Investigation Headquarters of the police stated on the 26th that they are verifying the facts regarding the allegations.
Kim Min-ki, secretary general of the National Assembly Secretariat, disclosed closed-circuit (CC) TV footage on the 24th showing troops, suspected to be martial law forces, captured at the wall and main entrance of the official residence of the National Assembly speaker on the morning of the 4th. The footage showed a gathering of 13 people, including 11 soldiers and 2 men in plain clothes, in front of the speaker's residence. A police official said, "We are investigating basic facts, such as determining the affiliation of the personnel in the video."
Meanwhile, Kim Sun-ho, acting Minister of the Ministry of National Defense, stated at the full meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 24th that the troops in question were "subordinate forces of the Capital Defense Command deployed to strengthen the residence's security," suggesting they were not martial law forces.
Meanwhile, police stated that they are still coordinating the date of attendance for Representative Choo Kyung-ho, who was the floor leader of the People Power Party during the martial law. The police had previously sent a second summons to Representative Choo, notifying him of the summoning for the 26th, and it is reported that Representative Choo has expressed his intention to attend, so they are adjusting the date.
Representative Choo is accused of requesting National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik to postpone the martial law lifting vote on the day of martial law or obstructing the vote by convening an emergency general meeting of lawmakers at the party office.