Police dismissed a case filed by former Korean history instructor-turned-YouTuber Jeon Han-gil and former 707th Special Mission Group commander Kim Hyeon-tae against Cheong Wa Dae deputy spokesperson An Gwi-ryeong, saying there was no suspicion of a crime. They had accused An of attempted robbery of military property and other charges because An grabbed the muzzle of a martial law troop's gun during the Dec. 3 martial law.
According to police on the 10th, Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul dismissed and did not refer the case in which Jeon and former special mission commander Kim accused Deputy Spokesperson An. A dismissal is a measure in which, if a filed complaint or accusation does not meet formal requirements or if there is clearly no suspicion of a crime, the investigation is not pursued further and the case is not referred.
Earlier, on the 24th of last month, Jeon claimed that Deputy Spokesperson An tried to seize a gun from martial law troops during the Dec. 3 martial law. Along with this, Jeon submitted a complaint to police on five charges, including attempted robbery of military property and attempted aggravated robbery.
However, police determined that the related charges were difficult to establish as a matter of law. It was also reported that their decision reflected the fact that the Committee for People's Livelihood Measures last year filed a similar accusation against Deputy Spokesperson An, which was likewise dismissed.
Deputy Spokesperson An's side issued a statement through a representative, countering that "both the facts and the legal theory are difficult to establish." The statement added, "If attempts continue to justify insurrection by spreading false information and filing baseless accusations to dilute their own legal responsibility, we will have no choice but to consider legal action, including false accusation and defamation."
Earlier, on Dec. 3, 2024, during the state of emergency under martial law, Deputy Spokesperson An grabbed the muzzle of a martial law troop's gun in a standoff as the troops tried to enter the National Assembly's main chamber. After former special mission commander Kim raised a "staged performance" allegation, Deputy Spokesperson An filed a defamation complaint against him with the Seocho Police Station in Seoul in December last year.