Acting police chief apologizes to nation over police action during martial law declaration
Published: 01 Dec. 2025, 12:11
Updated: 01 Dec. 2025, 19:21
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- KIM JU-YEON
- [email protected]
![Yoo Jae-seong, acting commissioner general of the National Police Agency, bows in apology for police forces barring access to the National Assembly on the night that former President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed emergency martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, in a meeting at the agency's office in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Dec. 1. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/01/d1cfcd9d-2025-42cd-8a96-f527ecc3d879.jpg)
Yoo Jae-seong, acting commissioner general of the National Police Agency, bows in apology for police forces barring access to the National Assembly on the night that former President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed emergency martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, in a meeting at the agency's office in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Dec. 1. [YONHAP]
The acting head of the National Police Agency (NPA) apologized to the nation Monday for police restricting access to the National Assembly on the night of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law last year.
Acting Commissioner General Yoo Jae-seong made the apology during an online gathering of senior police leaders nationwide ahead of the first anniversary of Yoon's botched martial law bid on Dec. 3, 2024.
"Police restricted lawmakers' entry around the National Assembly on the night of Dec. 3," Yoo said, citing the operations to seal access to the National Assembly as lawmakers gathered for a vote to lift Yoon's decree.
"This act disrupted democracy and the constitutional order and was an unconstitutional and illegal act that threatened the daily lives of the people," he said. "I sincerely apologize."
The act "damaged the honor and pride of frontline police offers" whose duty is to "protect the people's freedom and social order," he added.
![Acting Commissioner General Yoo Jae-seong speaks during an online gathering of senior police leaders at the National Police Agency's office in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Dec. 1. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/01/c492f771-985e-4a07-b202-13bb26a40f68.jpg)
Acting Commissioner General Yoo Jae-seong speaks during an online gathering of senior police leaders at the National Police Agency's office in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Dec. 1. [YONHAP]
Going forward, Yoo pledged that the police will carry out their duties by keeping the people in mind and protecting the constitutional order.
The police will “never cooperate with or condone any unconstitutional or illegal actions under any circumstances,” he said, and vowed to “ensure that unlawful or improper orders from individual commanders are never passed down to the field without scrutiny again.”
Yoo's apology comes as the National Assembly is set to vote on an amendment to legislation that will allow civil servants to raise objections or refuse orders from superiors if they judge it to be illegal. Public servants' duty to unconditionally obey their superiors' orders has been in place since 1948, but calls for reform accelerated after last year's emergency martial law declaration.
Cho Ji-ho, former head of the NPA, and Kim Bong-sik, former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who led the police operations during martial law, are currently standing trial on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection.
BY KIM JU-YEON, YONHAP [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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