Prosecution and Police Begin Investigation into Yoon's Treason Charges... Democratic Party Pushes for Permanent Special Prosecutor

Police Assigned to National Investigation Headquarters Security Investigation Division

Shim Woo-jung "Investigate According to Law and Procedure"

The National Police Agency has assigned the case of 'treason' charges against President Yoon Suk-yeol to the Security Investigation Division of the National Investigation Headquarters and began the investigation on the 5th. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is increasing pressure by submitting a demand for a permanent special prosecutor investigation targeting President Yoon and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun to the National Assembly.

Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Investigation Headquarters, attended the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee plenary session, where an 'emergency inquiry on martial law' was held, and stated, "(This situation) is unprecedented, so we will directly assign the case to the Security Investigation Division and investigate cautiously according to the established laws and procedures." When asked, "Do you have the will to directly investigate the treason charges against the president?" Woo emphasized, "How can we assign it if we don't have the will?"

In a situation where treason charges related to President Yoon's declaration of martial law have been filed with other investigative agencies such as the Prosecution Service and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the police have expressed their intention to investigate.

Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung has also instructed the prosecution to investigate the case, indicating that both the police and the prosecution will be conducting investigations simultaneously for some time. Although there was speculation that the case would be transferred to the police due to the 'prosecution reform' which limits the prosecution's investigation targets to economic and corruption crimes, Prosecutor General Shim stated, "We can investigate according to the law and procedure."

The Cho Guk Innovation Party filed charges of treason against President Yoon, former Minister Kim, Army Chief of Staff Park An-soo, and Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min with the National Investigation Headquarters on the 4th. On the same day, the Reform New Party filed charges of treason against President Yoon and others with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. In addition, opposition civic groups such as the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and Lawyers for a Democratic Society have also filed treason charges against President Yoon and former Minister Kim with investigative agencies.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has submitted a demand for a permanent special prosecutor investigation targeting President Yoon, former Minister Kim, and Chief of Staff Park to the National Assembly. They specified the investigation targets as 'suspicion of President Yoon's command of treason' and 'preparatory conspiracy for murder for the purpose of treason to disrupt the National Assembly plenary session.' Democratic Party Chief Spokesperson Cho Seung-rae argued to reporters, "If we propose a general special prosecutor law, the president will obviously exercise his veto."

In the legal community, opinions are divided on whether treason charges can be applied to President Yoon's declaration of martial law. There is a clash between the argument that 'attempts to incapacitate the National Assembly are subject to treason charges under criminal law' and the argument that 'since the demand for lifting martial law by the National Assembly was accepted, it is difficult to see it as an applicable case.'

Jung Sang-won, Reporter top1@hankyung.com