Commissioner of the Korean National Police Agency Cho Ji-ho (Yonhap)

Korean National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho confessed that he was told by President Yoon Suk Yeol in person to send personnel to 10 locations three hours before the declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, according to the police's special investigation team.

During the police investigation, Cho testified that he was told to come into a presidential safe house and was handed a one-page document by Yoon. The document, according to Cho, listed key locations that would require police personnel for control following the imposition of martial law, such as the National Assembly.

Then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Bong-sik were also present at the meeting, according to investigators.

Cho’s recent statement contradicts previous claims, whereupon he consistently stated that he only became aware of the martial law imposition through media reports and that he was merely ordered to “be on standby” four hours before martial law was declared.

Hours after the investigation results were revealed, police said on Thursday afternoon that they would seek court warrants to arrest both police chiefs -- Cho and Kim -- in connection with the martial law investigation under charges of insurrection and rebellion. The rebellion charges were added after Cho's testimony was later confirmed to be true by investigators. The No. 1 and No. 2 police officials have been detained without a warrant since early Wednesday and were placed under a travel ban on Tuesday.

Police chiefs Cho and Kim are accused of directing police officials to block access to the National Assembly when martial law was declared on Dec. 3 to prevent lawmakers from entering the parliament to repeal the martial law decree.

Cho is additionally suspected of sending police personnel to the National Election Commission to assist the military in carrying out orders issued under martial law. Cho was impeached in a parliamentary vote Thursday.

Also on Thursday afternoon, investigators stated that Kim reportedly expressed his intention to forgo a pretrial hearing. Without Kim's attendance, the court will decide on whether Kim will be detained based on documented evidence and submissions made by the police and prosecution.

With both leading police officials absent for the time being, Lee Ho-young, deputy commissioner of the KNPA, will serve as the acting commissioner, while Choi Hyun-seok, chief of the SMPA’s life safety division, will take over as its acting head.

With the president also booked as a suspect under allegations of rebellion and insurrection, investigators attempted to raid the presidential office with a search and seizure warrant listing Yoon as a suspect on Wednesday, dispatching 18 investigators to secure records related to a Cabinet meeting held before the declaration of martial law. Under the warrant, the scope of the investigation included the Cabinet meeting room, the Presidential Secret Service, the 101 Security Division of the national police and the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters, located next to the presidential office.

However, the seizure attempts were withdrawn at 7:40 p.m. Wednesday, as the Presidential Security Service did not permit law enforcement to enter the presidential office under the Criminal Procedure Act.

Though the search and seizure attempt could not be completed as intended, a police official on site told the press that the presidential office submitted documents and materials to police for investigation, though they were “very limited” in terms of amount. On Thursday afternoon, investigators visited the presidential office again to acquire other supporting documents from the JCS building, as its headquarters housed the operational headquarters for the martial law troops.