Impeached top cop Cho Ji-ho dismissed by Constitutional Court for aiding martial law decree
Published: 18 Dec. 2025, 15:39
![National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho speaks during a National Assembly session at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Nov. 14. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/18/ae319aa7-d56c-452a-8427-0dc1ed15679f.jpg)
National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho speaks during a National Assembly session at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Nov. 14. [NEWS1]
The Constitutional Court on Thursday dismissed National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho, upholding a motion by the National Assembly to impeach him.
In a unanimous, full-bench decision, the court ruled in favor of the impeachment motion during a hearing held on Thursday.
The ruling comes more than a year after the National Assembly passed the motion in December last year. The dismissal takes immediate effect, meaning Cho is no longer in office.
“The respondent’s actions in blocking lawmakers from entering the National Assembly building were carried out in execution of an unconstitutional and unlawful order from the president,” the court said. “These actions violated the principles of representative democracy and separation of powers, and infringed on the constitutional rights of lawmakers, including their rights to deliberate and vote.”
The court also ruled that deploying police officers to the Gwacheon headquarters of the National Election Commission and its affiliated training institute was an infringement on the commission’s independence.
“By supporting the military’s entry into the election commission’s premises under an unconstitutional and unlawful martial law, the respondent interfered with the commission’s duties and its exercise of authority,” the court said.
![Constitutional Court justices deliver the verdict on National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho at the Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Dec. 18. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/18/04e1d773-35d4-4e9d-9a71-6993185d8d7f.jpg)
Constitutional Court justices deliver the verdict on National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho at the Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Dec. 18. [NEWS1]
“These actions constitute a grave violation of the principles of representative democracy and separation of powers,” the court added. “Given the severity of the impact on the constitutional order, the respondent’s breach of law is serious enough to justify dismissal.”
Cho was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 12 last year over allegations that, on Dec. 3, during the botched martial law declaration by deposed former President Yoon Suk Yeol, he blocked lawmakers from accessing the legislature and deployed police to the National Election Commission and its training center.
Excessive use of force during a nationwide labor rally on Nov. 9 last year was also cited as grounds for impeachment.
Cho was indicted in January this year on charges of participating in a conspiracy to commit treason in connection with the martial law declaration. He is currently standing trial without detention after being released on bail due to a blood cancer diagnosis.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)