A special counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young, investigating unresolved questions after the 12·3 insurrection incident, launched its first compulsory investigation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Thursday, focusing on allegations of an attempted “second martial law.” The probe has gained urgency after new testimony suggested the military considered additional troop deployments even after the National Assembly passed a resolution demanding martial law be lifted.
The team sent prosecutors and investigators to the Joint Chiefs headquarters in Seoul’s Yongsan district and to the homes of key suspects to conduct searches and seizures. Investigators are seeking to reconstruct command and reporting lines and how troops were managed before and after the martial law declaration.
According to reports, the warrant lists four Joint Chiefs figures as suspects on charges of being key participants in an insurrection: former chairman Kim Myung-soo, former vice chairman Jeong Jin-pal, former Military Support Command chief Kang Dong-gil, and former operations chief Lee Seung-oh. The case is the special counsel’s “Case No. 1” opened by recognition.
At the center of the investigation is whether additional forces were pursued after the Assembly approved the resolution. The special counsel said it recently obtained statements from current and former Joint Chiefs officials that “after the resolution passed, and before a Cabinet meeting voted to lift martial law, there was a request to the Joint Chiefs for additional troop deployments.” Investigators also reportedly detected signs that some units were asked to check whether deployments were possible.
If confirmed, the findings could support allegations that Yoon Suk Yeol and others sought to keep martial law in place after the Assembly vote or to attempt a “second martial law.” A first-instance court previously recognized that Yoon instructed former Capital Defense Command chief Lee Jin-woo to the effect that “even if the resolution passes, you can declare martial law two or three times.”
The special counsel is also focusing on the Joint Chiefs leadership’s role, which earlier investigators did not pursue in depth. A previous special counsel on the insurrection did not find concrete evidence of the Joint Chiefs’ involvement and effectively removed Kim and others from the investigative focus. The new testimony and indications of troop-deployment reviews could change that assessment.
Investigators also reportedly obtained a statement that Kim, at a Cabinet meeting, asked whether a conclusion different from the Assembly’s could be reached. Kim is also accused of issuing a fragmentary order to the Special Warfare Command and the Capital Defense Command to “prioritize martial law duties.”
At the same time, statements have also surfaced that Kim refused an actual request for additional troop deployments. The special counsel said it needs to determine whether orders were given and who bears responsibility, citing indications the Joint Chiefs checked troop availability, including rear-area units.
After analyzing seized materials, the special counsel plans to summon Kim and other related figures for questioning in sequence. The raids are expected to sharpen scrutiny of the military leadership’s actions during martial law and whether a “second martial law” was attempted.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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