Trial for Choo Kyung-ho on Charges of Obstructing Martial Law Lift Vote Begins on the 24th

[Financial News] The trial for Choo Kyung-ho, a member of the People Power Party, who has been indicted on charges of obstructing the National Assembly's vote on the December 3 resolution to lift emergency martial law, will officially commence.
According to the legal community on the 11th, the Seoul Central District Court's 34th Criminal Division, presided over by Judge Sung-Jin Han, will hold the first pretrial hearing for Choo, who is accused of engaging in key insurrection-related duties, on the 24th.
A pretrial hearing is a procedure to confirm the positions of the prosecution and the defendant and to establish plans for presenting evidence. The defendant is not required to attend.
Choo is accused of having interfered with other lawmakers’ participation in the vote to lift martial law on December 3 last year, after receiving a request from former President Yoon Suk Yeol at the time of the emergency martial law declaration, by repeatedly changing the location of the party caucus.
At the time, Choo, then the floor leader, announced the convening of an emergency caucus immediately after the declaration of martial law and changed the venue three times, alternating between the National Assembly and the party headquarters. As a result, many People Power Party lawmakers were unable to attend the vote to lift martial law. The National Assembly’s resolution to lift martial law passed with 190 votes in favor, as 90 out of 108 People Power Party members were absent. The special prosecutor team determined that Choo, after receiving a call from former President Yoon requesting cooperation with the martial law, attempted to prevent party lawmakers from participating in the vote. Despite Han Dong-hoon, then party leader, requesting to convene the session in the main assembly hall, Choo continued to change the meeting location.
The special prosecutor team requested an arrest warrant for Choo, but the court dismissed it, stating, "It is appropriate to reach a fair judgment and punishment after sufficient legal proceedings."
theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter