Court denies arrest warrant for ex-PPP floor leader over alleged martial law role

Former floor leader of the People Power Party Choo Kyung-ho, center, leaves the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, early Wednesday, after the court denined a warrant to arrest him over allegations he was involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law. Yonhap

A court on Wednesday denied a warrant to arrest People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Choo Kyung-ho over allegations that he was involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law.

The Seoul Central District Court denied the warrant, saying there remains room for dispute regarding the facts of the case and the applicable legal principles. The court also cited insufficient grounds for the need for his arrest, such as the risk he would flee or destroy evidence.

"It would be reasonable to make an appropriate judgment and punishment after thorough and substantive legal arguments," it said.

Last month, special counsel Cho Eun-suk filed for the warrant on charges of Choo playing a key role in an insurrection, alleging that he blocked PPP lawmakers from participating in a parliamentary vote to lift the martial law decree issued on Dec. 3, 2024.

Choo, once considered a key ally of Yoon, is accused of deliberately and repeatedly changing the venue of an emergency party meeting on the night of Dec. 3 at the request of the then president.

Due to the changes, only 18 of the PPP's 108 lawmakers took part in the parliamentary vote to lift Yoon's decree, which passed unanimously early the next morning among the 190 lawmakers present.

The special counsel team said it respected the court's decision but could not accept it.

"As a leader of the (then) ruling party, (Choo) did not take any action to protect the people's safety and the constitutional order after calls with the presidential senior secretary of political affairs, the prime minister and the president," it said.

"(We) will promptly file charges so that appropriate punishment is made by the court."

Choo has rejected all the allegations and reportedly claimed at his arrest warrant hearing Tuesday that he was unaware of the illegality of the martial law declaration at the time and the special counsel was rashly seeking his arrest with only circumstantial evidence.

The National Assembly approved a motion for Choo's arrest Thursday. By law, sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest while parliament is in session and can only be put under arrest with consent from the Assembly.