After declaring martial law, president ordered police to 'round up' South Korean lawmakers: Top cop

ISTANBUL – After declaring martial law last week, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered police to arrest lawmakers, the nation’s top law enforcement officer said Friday.

Cho Ji-ho, the National Police Agency commissioner general, told investigators that Yoon called him six times, saying, “Round them all up. They violated martial law, so arrest them,” according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

Cho is under detention pending formal court warrants in a widening probe into the botched martial law declaration by Yoon, 63, which triggered a political crisis.

His statement was the second to implicate Yoon over targeting lawmakers after Lt Gen Kwak Jong-geun, South Korean army’s special warfare commander, told parliament that on the night of Dec 3, Yoon ordered him to “break into parliament” and “bring out the lawmakers” ahead of a vote against the martial law declaration.

Cases of treason and insurrection have been filed against Yoon, who is set to face a second impeachment motion on Saturday as main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung urged ruling People Power Party lawmakers to join the motion and oust Yoon.

South Korea has been witnessing mass protests since last week Tuesday after Yoon in a TV address announced martial law, branding opposition lawmakers “anti-state North Korean communist forces” to justify his move.

However, Lee mobilised the lawmakers to pass an emergency motion forcing Yoon to rescind his decision.

At least six army commanders, including Chief of Staff Gen Park An-su, have been suspended for their alleged role in the short-lived martial law while investigators have twice tried to raid the presidential compound to probe the events leading to martial law.

- Record low public rating

Yoon’s approval rating has fallen to a record low of 11 per cent since he was inaugurated in 2022, according to Gallup Korea.

Yoon last weekend survived an opposition attempt to impeach him as the 300-seat parliament failed to produce a minimum quorum of 200 lawmakers.

But several ruling lawmakers have indicated they will join the bloc of 192 opposition parliamentarians when a second impeachment vote is held Saturday.

Yoon has resisted calls for resignation and has vowed to “fight till the end,” as his five-year term is normally due to last into 2027.

If the president resigns or is impeached, if the Constitutional Court confirms this, elections must be held within two months.

While a sitting president in South Korea is immune from arrest except for charges of insurrection, police are reportedly mulling filing an arrest warrant for Yoon.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun is the first Yoon administration figure to be formally arrested.

The police chief has said Kim used Yoon’s phone to order the arrest of lawmakers.

Kim remains in a protective detention cell in the capital Seoul where he also attempted to kill himself earlier this week. He remains stable.

Separately, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and others will visit parliament on Friday for a question hour ahead of the weekend impeachment vote. - ANADOLU AGENCY