The National Assembly's special committee, dedicated to inspecting the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's abrupt martial law imposition, accused the chief of South Korea's spy agency and acting chief of Yoon's bodyguards of providing false testimony at the parliamentary hearing.
Among those accused by the committee led by main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's Rep. Ahn Gyu-back, are Cho Tae-yong, director of the National Intelligence Service; Kim Sung-hoon, acting director of the Presidential Security Service; and Col. Kim Hyun-tae, who headed the Army's 707th Special Mission Group.
The parliamentary committee said it would seek charges against Cho because his testimony failed to be consistent with other testimonies given during Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court. Cho had previously denied that Yoon had ordered the arrest of politicians in the wake of his martial law declaration via his subordinate, former first deputy director of the NIS Hong Jang-won.
PSS acting chief Kim would be accused of falsely denying that he had attempted to destroy evidence, such as call records from Yoon's blackphone, according to the committee
Additionally, President Yoon; ex-defense minister Kim Yong-hyun; Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung, former commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command; retired Army Maj. Gen and ex-defense intelligence commander Noh Sang-won and three more figures would be accused of failing to appear at the parliamentary hearing despite the committee's request to do so, according to the committee.
All accusations gained committee approval despite the ruling party lawmakers' boycott.
The ruling party, however, agreed to adopt a final report on the committee's hearings, which ended its 60-day run on Friday. Through five hearings, the special committee summoned 143 people to testify.
consnow@heraldcorp.com
