Yongsan orders police chief to wait for emergency four hours before martial law declaration

[Anchor]
It has been confirmed that the president's office ordered police chief Jo Ji-ho to wait for an emergency four hours before declaring an emergency martial law.

I'm connecting with the reporter. Reporter, General Manager!

When did National Police Agency Commissioner Jo Ji-ho receive orders from the presidential office regarding the declaration of emergency martial law?

[Reporter]
It was around 6:20 p.m. yesterday (3rd).

At 10:23 p.m. last night, it was four hours before the President of Yoon Suk Yeol issued an unscheduled emergency statement and declared an emergency decree.

As a result of YTN coverage, Cho was contacted by the president's office at this time to leave the office for his personal schedule and to wait in the office until a "separate order."

It has not been confirmed who gave the instructions specifically.

Except for some key officials in the presidential office, no matter the representative of the ruling party or the member of the State Council, he was not aware of the plan to declare martial law in advance.

Commissioner Cho is said to have been ordered to wait for emergency, but he did not know in advance about the plan to declare martial law,
Analysts say that the presidential office of
has prepared for the implementation of specific martial law by waiting for the police chief, who is the chief security officer, in an emergency.

Under these circumstances, immediately after the martial law was declared, police forces were quickly deployed.

The National Assembly Security Service under the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency blocked the front gate of the National Assembly with a bus, and police began to control access.

The police initially allowed lawmakers and aides to enter the National Assembly's compound, but even blocked lawmakers who wanted to attend the plenary session after the proclamation was announced after 11 p.m.

In fact, Rep. Lee Joon-seok of the New Reform Party and others were stopped in front of the National Assembly and scuffled with the police while trying to attend the plenary session.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency issued the second-highest "Eulho Emergency" among police emergencies from 1 a.m. after midnight and tried to strengthen alertness.

However, it was not actually issued as the National Police Agency ordered it to be put on hold and not issued.

So far, I'm a YTN manager at the National Police Agency.