Clash Over Indictment of Hong Jang-won and Cho Sung-hyun Sparks Internal Turmoil

[Anchor]

Noise surrounding the comprehensive special counsel team persisted throughout the investigation period. In particular, the two organizations engaged in a public clash as the comprehensive special counsel team completely reversed the judgments made by the insurrection special counsel team.

Reporter Jeon Yeonnam has the details.

[Reporter]

Cho Sung-hyun, former commander of the Capital Defense Command's security regiment, even received a medal for allegedly contributing to the early termination of martial law through the so-called "Sogang Bridge retreat."

Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, testified about former President Yoon Suk Yeol's order to arrest politicians, saying, "Round them all up."

The insurrection special counsel evaluated them as key witnesses and primary contributors in the insurrection investigation and trial.

However, the comprehensive special counsel team turned this assessment 180 degrees around.

They indicted the two, concluding that they participated in the insurrection after the declaration of martial law.

[Kwon Chang-young / Comprehensive Special Counsel: "Taking into account their cooperation in the investigation and trial to determine the level of punishment is a matter for the court to decide, not an investigative agency."]

The comprehensive special counsel determined that former Deputy Director Hong ordered the establishment of communication networks with the Defense Security Command and the National Police Agency on the day of martial law, and that former Commander Cho changed his attitude after the motion to lift emergency martial law was passed at the National Assembly.

[Kim Jung-min / Special Prosecutor Assistant: "The claim that they were told not to cross Sogang Bridge is quite exaggerated. It seems clear orders were given to enter the National Assembly and pull out the troops."]br />
The insurrection special counsel team even sent an official letter recommending non-indictment, expressing concern that indicting the two could lead them to refuse to testify in trials related to former President Yoon, but the comprehensive special counsel team sent a rebuttal letter, leading to a public clash.

Today (August 24), the two agencies engaged in a war of words over the "end date of the insurrection." The insurrection special counsel team reiterated that the insurrection ended on December 4 when the lifting of martial law was announced, but the comprehensive special counsel hit back once again.

[Kwon Chang-young / Comprehensive Special Counsel: "Once (the impeachment motion) is passed and duties are suspended (on December 14), are they not liberated from the danger...?"]

Internal noise within the special counsel team also continued throughout the investigation period.

Controversy over political bias arose due to a special prosecutor assistant's appearance on a pro-administration online broadcast, and a special prosecutor assistant in charge who had previewed a massive investigation into the Ssangbangwool illegal remittance to North Korea was replaced after it was revealed that he had previously represented individuals associated with Ssangbangwool.

(Camera: Yang Hyun-chul | Video Editing: Choi Hye-young)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.