The special counsel investigating the insurrection case submitted a notice of consent to arrest for People Power Party lawmaker Choo Kyung-ho to the Seoul Central District Court on the 27th. As a result, Choo is expected to undergo a pretrial detention suspect examination (warrant review) on Feb. 2.
In a media notice that day, the special counsel said, "We sent the notice of consent to arrest to the Seoul Central District Court" regarding Choo.
Earlier that day, the National Assembly held a plenary session and passed the motion to consent to Choo's arrest with 172 votes in favor, 4 against, 2 abstentions, and 2 invalid out of 180 present.
In a personal statement at the plenary session that day, Choo said, "I already said I would waive my parliamentary immunity from arrest," adding, "However, looking at the contents of the warrant requested by the special counsel, it has become even clearer that the allegation of obstructing the vote to lift martial law is a baseless and malicious political scheme."
He went on, "While failing to present any evidence of when and with whom I colluded or participated in martial law, the special counsel cobbled together my routine activities and remarks as floor leader to fabricate a warrant," and emphasized, "The special counsel mobilized a large investigation team for nearly half a year, but neither proved collusion over martial law nor identified any lawmaker who said the vote was obstructed."
Choo also said, "It is devastating that in our political reality, the spirit of dialogue and compromise, restraint and tolerance has disappeared, leaving only extreme confrontation," and added, "If our political camp does not quickly break the vicious cycle of oppression and retaliation, any lawmaker from the ruling or opposition parties could become an unfortunate victim of political strife."
On the 3rd, Cho Eun-suk's team at the special counsel investigating the insurrection case requested an arrest warrant for Choo on charges of obstructing the National Assembly's resolution to lift martial law. Choo is suspected of changing the venue of the party caucus several times at the request of former President Yoon Suk-yeol's side to obstruct other lawmakers' participation in the vote to lift martial law.
Except in cases of being caught in the act, lawmakers are not arrested or detained during a National Assembly session without the Assembly's consent. If the motion to consent to arrest passes the National Assembly plenary, the court conducts a pretrial detention suspect examination (warrant review) and decides whether to issue the warrant.