11-12-2024 (SEOUL) National Police Commissioner Cho Ji-ho was arrested Wednesday on insurrection charges, marking the latest high-profile detention in the widening investigation of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s failed martial law declaration.
The arrest comes as the opposition-led parliament prepares for a second attempt to impeach President Yoon, with Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung declaring the “impeachment train has left the platform” ahead of a planned vote this Saturday.
Cho faces allegations of orchestrating police blockades that prevented lawmakers from accessing parliament following Yoon’s controversial martial law declaration on 3 December. The police chief’s arrest follows the detention of former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who stands accused of ordering military action against parliamentarians.
Fresh revelations have emerged from Army Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-geun, who testified before parliament that President Yoon directly ordered troops to “break the door down” and “drag out” lawmakers from the National Assembly.
The political turmoil has sent tremors through South Korea’s economy and diplomatic relationships, threatening stability in Asia’s fourth-largest economy. Labour unions have mounted resistance, with metal workers, including those from Kia Corporation, declaring strike action. Bank of Korea staff and other financial sector workers are set to join protest rallies.
The presidential office has maintained an ambiguous stance on the country’s current leadership, stating it had “no official position” when questioned about who was governing the nation. People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon suggested Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would manage state affairs while seeking an “orderly” presidential resignation, though legal scholars have questioned the constitutional basis for such an arrangement.
Since his televised apology on Saturday, President Yoon has not made any public appearances. While he faces criminal investigation on insurrection charges, he has neither been arrested nor questioned by authorities. The president’s martial law declaration was swiftly reversed after legislators, including members of his own party, defied security forces to convene an emergency parliamentary session.
