SEOUL —South Korea's prosecutors on
Wednesday indicted the head of the National Police Agency and the former chief
of the Seoul police over their alleged roles during President Yoon Suk Yeol's
short-lived imposition of martial law, officials said.
Cho Ji-ho, Commissioner General of the National Police
Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency,
were indicted under detention on charges of engaging in essential activities
for an insurrection and abuse of power.
The indictments came after the two officials were
arrested last month as part of an investigation into Yoon's botched declaration
of martial law on December 3.
Cho is accused of ordering police to prevent lawmakers
from entering the National Assembly during martial law and alleged involvement
in the military's attempt to arrest key politicians.
The two officials allegedly met Yoon hours before his
martial law declaration at the presidential safe house in central Seoul,
according to the special prosecution team handling the case, Yonhap news agency
reported.
During the meeting, Yoon told the officials that he plans
to declare martial law and instructed them to send police personnel to the
National Assembly and control the situation, the prosecutors said.
Cho and Kim also allegedly received a document from
former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun that detailed plans under martial law,
such as where and when martial law troops would be deployed.
When Yoon declared martial law, Kim allegedly ordered
police to completely block entry into the National Assembly.
He temporarily allowed lawmakers to enter the compound
after undergoing legal review with his staff but later sealed off entry, citing
the martial law decree that banned all political activity, according to the
prosecutors.
Earlier on January 6, South Korean prosecutors indicted
the top military intelligence commander over his alleged involvement in
President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law imposition the previous month.
The prosecution's special investigation team indicted
Defence Intelligence Commander Major General Moon Sang-ho on charges of playing
an "integral" role in an insurrection and abuse of power.
Moon was suspected of sending troops to the National
Election Commission's office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on the night of the
short-lived martial law imposition on December 3.
He was also suspected of discussing martial law
operations with Noh Sang-won, a former defence intelligence commander,
alongside two other subordinates, at a burger franchise in Gyeonggi Province
two days ahead of the martial law imposition.
