Troops leave the National Assembly after the martial law decree was lifted, Dec. 4. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the arrest of a Seoul lower court judge who recently acquitted opposition leader Lee Jae-myung in a perjury trial during the period of martial law, a lawyer representing the national police chief said Friday.

The lawyer defending National Police Agency Commissioner-General Cho Ji-ho, who is being investigated over the botched martial law imposition, claimed that Judge Kim Dong-hyun of the Seoul Central District Court was included in Yoon's arrest list.

Last month, Kim acquitted Lee, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), of charges of suborning a former mayoral secretary to make false court testimony in his favor during a 2019 trial on his alleged election law violations.

The ruling was seen as easing Lee's legal risks as a potential presidential runner in 2027.

Cho's lawyer said that Defense Counterintelligence Commander Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung called Cho shortly after martial law was declared and asked him to track the locations of some 15 politicians.

They included National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, DP floor leader Park Chan-dae, Rep. Jung Chung-rai of the DP, who heads the parliamentary judiciary committee, and ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon.

The Supreme Court issued a statement expressing "grave concern" and strong criticism over Cho's purported claims.

"If true, this represents a direct and serious infringement on judicial authority," it said.

"Such an incident must never occur in a state governed by the rule of law, and we urge a swift investigation to uncover the truth and ensure strict legal accountability," the court said. (Yonhap)