▲ Cho Sung-hyun, former chief of the 1st Security Group of the Army Capital Defense Command, arrives at the 2nd Comprehensive Special Counsel office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on July 10 for questioning as a suspect in charges related to performing key duties in an insurrection.
The 2nd Comprehensive Special Counsel team, led by Kwon Chang-young, which is investigating remaining allegations following the third special counsel, has summoned Cho Sung-hyun, former chief of the 1st Security Group of the Army Capital Defense Command (Colonel), as a suspect on charges of insurrection.
The special counsel team has been questioning Cho since 10:00 a.m. today (July 10) regarding his alleged involvement in performing key duties during an insurrection.
This marks the first time Cho has appeared before the comprehensive special counsel team.
Arriving at the special counsel office around 9:40 a.m. today, Cho stated, "I am flustered, but I will testify truthfully and explain everything clearly."
When asked about the intent behind his remark, "I will carry out the operation," during a phone call with former Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo, Cho explained, "That is a standard military expression, similar to personnel matters."
Cho is accused of relaying orders from former Commander Lee to deploy the 2nd and 35th Special Mission Battalions to the National Assembly during the emergency martial law.
The special counsel team reportedly secured evidence suggesting that, following former Commander Lee's order to "drag the lawmakers out," Cho told troops waiting at Seogang Bridge on the day of the martial law, "Leave your firearms and blank cartridges in the vehicles and take your batons to move in. Your mission is to drag the people inside the National Assembly out."
The special counsel team has also reportedly secured a recording of a phone call on the day of the martial law in which Cho, speaking to a person presumed to be former Commander Lee, says, "I have given the mission as such," and "Loyalty, I will continue the operation."
Special Prosecutor Assistant Kim Ji-mi previously stated in a briefing, "We have secured important testimony that can prove the charges during the witness questioning related to Colonel Cho Sung-hyun."
Cho is a figure who has testified multiple times during investigations and impeachment proceedings following the emergency martial law.
Cho previously testified before the Constitutional Court and other bodies that although he received orders from former Commander Lee to enter the National Assembly and drag out lawmakers, he judged the purpose of the mission to be unclear, requested a re-examination, and instructed follow-up units not to cross Seogang Bridge and to wait instead.
The Ministry of National Defense awarded Cho the Order of National Security Merit, Samil Medal, in September last year, recognizing his contribution to preventing national chaos by not following illegal and unjust orders from the beginning of the emergency martial law declaration and avoiding clashes with citizens.
President Lee Jae-myung also personally visited the Ministry of National Defense's command and control center in March to encourage Cho.
The previous insurrection special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok also decided not to indict Cho, concluding that he had responded passively to former Commander Lee's orders and ultimately refused them.
The special counsel team is also re-summoning and questioning former Prosecutor General Sim Woo-jung today.
Sim is accused of reviewing plans to dispatch prosecutors to the Martial Law Command's Joint Investigation Headquarters after the declaration of emergency martial law on December 3, 2024.
The special counsel team suspects that Sim discussed the dispatch of prosecutors with former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae during three phone calls.
The court that previously deliberated on the insurrection charges against former Minister Park also determined that Sim had received instructions from Park regarding requests for the dispatch of prosecutors.
Sim is also suspected of being involved in covering up investigations into cases involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee, including the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation allegations and the Dior bag scandal.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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