Kim Min-seok: No talks on special insurrection unit, but probe must have no statute of limitations

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok said Friday there had been no discussions about forming a special insurrection investigation unit, but added that talks on handling insurrection-related matters without a statute of limitations had been ongoing.

Kim made the remarks during an appearance on the Democratic Party's YouTube channel "Minti 07," saying there had been calls to continue investigating matters left unresolved through the special prosecutor or other means.

Kim described the party's overarching stance as "seeing the insurrection through to the end." He said he had seen reports that photos and video of President Lee and himself climbing over a wall had been submitted as evidence that access to the National Assembly had not been blocked during the martial law incident. "It was so absurd," Kim said. "It made me realize that until the insurrection is fully resolved, there is simply no common sense to be found."

Kim also addressed President Lee's Armed Forces Day speech on Thursday, in which Lee said he was "certain the military will never again attempt anything related to insurrection." Kim, who sits on the National Assembly's defense committee, said there remained "one task" — reforming the Defense Security Command — to ensure such an attempt could never be made again.

Turning to Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae, Kim said lingering consequences remained from Jo's failure to promptly address what Kim called the "opaque conduct" surrounding the insurrection on the night of the Dec. 3 martial law declaration.

Kim also weighed in on remarks by People Power Party lawmaker Kim Tae-gyu, who suggested that Chun Doo-hwan's coup was not an insurrection. "For a former judge to say he cannot be certain that not only the Yoon Suk Yeol insurrection but even the May 18 uprising could be considered an insurrection — that speaks for itself," Kim said. "When the historical, political, legal and social reckoning with insurrection remains incomplete, you keep seeing moments where people think, 'Surely that can't still be an issue' — and yet it is."

Kim added that the party must not lose sight of the insurrection issue and see it through to the end. "We have to deal with people's livelihoods, we have to deal with the economy — it is not easy," he said. "But when it comes to bringing the insurrection to a close, I find myself thinking again that we must treat it as a constant and see it through, no matter what."