Special Prosecutor Attempts Search and Seizure of PPP Floor Leader's Office for Third Day Over Alleged Voting Obstruction

Opposition Party Cries "Suppression of Opposition" and Announces Indefinite Sit-in; Possibility of Compromise through Voluntary Submission Also Raised

PPP Floor Leader Criticizes Special Prosecutor's Investigation (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Ju-seong = On September 3rd, as the special prosecutor's team for the martial law special investigation continued its attempt to search the People Power Party's floor leader's office, Song Eon-seok, the PPP's floor leader, criticized the special prosecutor's investigation, including the search and seizure, in front of the floor leader's office at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. 2025.9.3 utzza@yna.co.kr

The special prosecutor's team investigating allegations of obstructing the vote to lift martial law began its third day of attempting to execute search and seizure warrants on the People Power Party's floor leader's office and other related locations on the 4th.

According to legal sources, the special prosecutor's team has been attempting to execute search and seizure warrants on the People Power Party's floor leader's office and the floor administration office since the morning of the 4th.

The special prosecutor's team had also attempted to search the floor leader's office on the 2nd but failed due to opposition from the opposition party. They attempted execution again the previous day but were forced to withdraw empty-handed again as People Power Party lawmakers held a general meeting in the National Assembly corridors and engaged in a sit-in protest.

The People Power Party claims this is "suppression of the opposition party," pointing out that the period for which the search and seizure is authorized in the warrant, from May of last year, is excessively long.

The deadline for executing the search and seizure warrants issued by the special prosecutor's team is reportedly until the 5th. Given that the opposition party has announced an "indefinite sit-in," there is speculation that the special prosecutor's team may opt for a compromise by securing relevant materials through voluntary submission instead of forcibly executing the warrants.

The special prosecutor's team is investigating allegations that former PPP Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho, at the request of former President Yoon Suk-yeol's side, obstructed other lawmakers from participating in the vote to lift martial law by repeatedly changing the location of the general assembly.

In relation to this, the former floor leader Choo's residence, office, and vehicle were searched and seized the previous day, and related materials were secured. The mobile phones of People Power Party lawmaker Jo Ji-yeon's office and party secretariat staff were also included in the search and seizure targets.

In a briefing the previous day, the special prosecutor's team stated, "From around March of last year when discussions on emergency martial law began, we cannot rule out the possibility that the (ruling party's) floor leader was aware of the martial law at that time."

In response, former Floor Leader Choo posted on his Facebook account the previous day, stating, "In March 2024, I was not the floor leader but a regular lawmaker, actively campaigning in my constituency of Dalseong-gun, Daegu, one month before the April 2024 general elections. If the special prosecutor is to mention the possibility of me being aware of martial law discussions at that time, they must present clear evidence."