▲ Former Korea Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Jong-wook, suspected of attempting to involve the Coast Guard in the martial law, attends a pre-trial detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on July 3.
The legal counsel for former Korea Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Jong-wook, who is suspected of involving the Coast Guard in the December 3 insurrection, denied all charges during his first trial.
The 38th Criminal Settlement Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judges Choi Young-gak, Chang Sungjin, and Jung Sooyoung) held the first preparatory hearing on the 7th for former Commissioner General Kim and former Coast Guard Planning and Coordination Officer Ahn Seong-sik on charges of assisting an insurrection and abuse of authority.
Attorneys for Kim and Ahn stated, "We completely deny the facts of the indictment."
Kim's legal team stated, "The defendant's actions mentioned in the indictment largely consist of three categories, two of which involve failing to restrain the actions of others," adding, "Please explain whether this is framed as a crime by omission and what the legal basis is for the duty to intervene."
Ahn's legal counsel also denied the charge of assisting an insurrection, and regarding the charge of abuse of authority, argued, "There was no authority to abuse in the first place."
Concluding the preparatory procedures, the court decided to hold the first official trial on the 3rd of next month to conduct witness examinations.
Kim and others are accused of attempting to increase and organize Coast Guard personnel to be dispatched to the Joint Investigation Headquarters and to provide Coast Guard detention facilities at the time of the emergency martial law declaration.
They are also accused of assisting in the insurrection by dispatching one employee to the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a government liaison officer.
The 2nd Independent Special Prosecutor Team, led by Kwon Chang-young, believes that Kim at the time dismissed a subordinate's objection against dispatching the liaison officer and ordered, "Dispatch at least one person."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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