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Kim Byung-ki, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, attends a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on July 9. / Source: Yonhap News

Kim Byung-ki, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DP), on July 9 strongly criticized former President Yoon Suk-yeol ahead of his pre-trial detention hearing, declaring, “Not a single minute of freedom should be granted to the ringleader of an insurrection.”

Speaking during the party’s supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Kim stated, “The only place for an insurrectionist ringleader is prison.”

“There will be a court hearing this afternoon on whether to issue a detention warrant for Yoon Suk-yeol,” Kim noted. “It is the result of the special counsel’s rapid and determined investigation.”

Kim added, “The special counsel is uncovering the truth behind Yoon and the forces of insurrection who trampled on the Constitution and betrayed the people. Yoon has never abandoned his insurrection. He continues to act shamelessly like a crime boss.”

He further accused Yoon of “coercing favorable testimony” and “repeatedly shifting all responsibility to his subordinates,” adding that “he is also suspected of attempting to coordinate testimony—a clear act of obstruction of justice.”

“While other insurrectionists are already in custody, the ringleader is still enjoying his daily life under government protection paid for by the people’s taxes,” Kim said. “That is outrageously wrong.”

He urged the judiciary to uphold the rule of law and meet the public’s expectations: “We ask the courts to respond to the people’s desire to restore common sense and justice. Re-arrest Yoon Suk-yeol, the mastermind of insurrection.”