On the 6th, during the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Constitutional Court, Director General Kim Hyun-tae of the Army Special Warfare Command's 707 Special Mission Battalion appeared as a witness and testified, "There was no instruction from former Special Warfare Commander Kwon Jong-geun saying, 'Pull out the members of the National Assembly' during the emergency martial law on December 3, and it was not possible to do that." However, Director General Kim noted, "Former Commander Kwon said something along the lines of, 'If there are more than 150 members (of the National Assembly), wouldn't they be unable to enter (the main assembly hall)?'" Director General Kim commanded Special Warfare personnel to mobilize to the National Assembly during the emergency martial law.

On Dec. 3, during the state of emergency, Kim Hyun-tae, the Director General of the 707th Special Mission Unit, is attending as a witness at the sixth trial date of the impeachment proceedings held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 6th. / Courtesy of News1

On that day at the Constitutional Court, Director General Kim Hyun-tae said, "The mission I received was to seal off and secure the National Assembly building and the member's office building." When President Yoon's side asked, "Does the meaning of sealing off not mean prohibiting entry, but rather is it accurate to say to defend the National Assembly from hostile threat forces?" Director General Kim replied, "That is correct." Additionally, when asked by President Yoon's side, "Was it a lawful deployment?" Director General Kim responded, "I believe so now."

Director General Kim also testified about the content of two phone calls with former Commander Kwon Jong-geun during the emergency martial law. Around 9:17 a.m. on December 4th last year, former Commander Kwon asked over the phone, "Is there a way to use a taser or blanks?" to which Director General Kim replied, "It is not possible." In another call at 12:36 a.m. on the same day, former Commander Kwon expressed in a softer tone, "If there are more than 150 members, wouldn't they be able to enter (the main assembly hall)?" to which Director General Kim said, "No, they cannot enter anymore."

Then, President Yoon's side asked, "Was there any instruction from (former Commander Kwon) to pull out the members of the National Assembly?" Director General Kim replied, "There was no such instruction, and it was not possible to do that."

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