Insurrection Prosecutors Indict PPP Lawmaker Choo Kyung-ho Without Detention

Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the People Power Party (PPP), who has been under investigation by the special counsel team for allegedly obstructing the National Assembly's vote to lift martial law by changing assembly locations three times during the December 3 emergency martial law, has been indicted without detention.

The special counsel for insurrection announced on Wednesday that it had indicted Choo without detention on charges including engaging in critical duties related to insurrection. The special counsel had previously sought an arrest warrant to secure Choo's custody, but the court rejected it on June 3, citing "room for legal dispute."

Choo is suspected of creating confusion by changing the location of the PPP lawmakers' meeting three times after emergency martial law was declared on December 3 last year, just before the National Assembly was to vote on lifting the martial law, thereby obstructing other lawmakers from participating in the vote. Choo, who was the PPP floor leader at the time, told PPP lawmakers to "come to the National Assembly" at around 10:59 p.m. while traveling from his home to the assembly, then changed the gathering location to PPP headquarters, and subsequently switched the location two more times at 30-minute intervals between the National Assembly and the party headquarters.

The special counsel has continued its investigation based on the view that Choo deliberately obstructed the vote after receiving a request from former President Yoon Suk-yeol to cooperate with the emergency martial law on the day of the declaration. The special counsel determined that Yoon called Choo at around 11:22 p.m. on the day of the martial law declaration to request his cooperation.

After the arrest warrant for Choo was rejected, the special counsel stated in a briefing, "We respect the court's decision but cannot accept it," adding, "As the charges have been proven to a certain degree, we plan to indict without additional investigation."