South Korea: Police Leaders Conferred with Yoon Just Hours Prior to Martial Law Announcement

Seoul, Dec 11 (NationPress) The national police commissioner of South Korea and the Seoul police chief had a meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol just three hours ahead of the announcement of martial law, according to a police investigation conducted on Wednesday.

Cho Ji-ho, the commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, along with Kim Bong-sik, the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, arrived at a presidential secure location in central Seoul around 7 p.m. on the day martial law was announced, as per the investigation's findings.

During this meeting, they received a document detailing critical sites, including the National Assembly, that would need to be controlled following the enactment of martial law. Former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun was also in attendance, the inquiry disclosed.

These revelations stand in stark contrast to information previously provided by the police to a lawmaker from the opposition party, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

Earlier that day, both officials were detained without warrants as part of an investigation into the unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law.

Under emergency arrest regulations, police are permitted to hold and interrogate suspects for a maximum of 48 hours.

Cho and Kim were subjected to questioning at their respective police stations for approximately 10 hours since Tuesday afternoon.

The two senior police officials are believed to have directed officers to seal off the National Assembly compound to prevent lawmakers from accessing parliament in an effort to overturn the martial law declaration.

Additionally, Cho is suspected of dispatching police personnel to the National Election Commission to assist the military in executing orders issued under martial law.

Both Cho and Kim are currently under a travel ban.