Court Sentences Former National Intelligence Service Chief Cho Tae-yong to 18 Months in Prison

Cho Tae-yong, the former chief of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), was sentenced to 18 months in prison for failing to fulfill his reporting obligations to the National Assembly during the declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, and for submitting false responses to conceal his involvement. However, the court found him not guilty of the key charges of negligence and political involvement.

The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 32, presided over by Judge Ryu Kyung-jin, delivered the verdict on May 21. Cho was convicted on charges including negligence, violations of the National Intelligence Service Act, violations of the National Assembly Testimony and Evidence Act, evidence destruction, preparation and use of false documents, and perjury. The sentence is significantly lower than the seven years sought by the special prosecutor's team led by Cho Eun-seok.

The court acquitted Cho of the negligence charge, stating that while he received documents related to martial law from former President Yoon Suk Yeol on the day of the declaration, it could not be definitively concluded that he clearly understood the instructions regarding the arrest of politicians from former NIS Deputy Director Hong Jang-won.

The court noted, "It cannot be ruled out that the defendant may have perceived the information received from Hong as mere rumors arising during the martial law process. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that the obligation to report to the National Assembly under the NIS Act arose."
The court also ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the claim that Cho selectively provided CCTV footage of Hong's movements to the ruling party, thus finding him not guilty of political involvement.

Additionally, allegations that Cho participated in the deletion of electronic information from secure phones used by Yoon and Hong after the martial law declaration were also dismissed, as the court acknowledged the possibility of security measures being in place at that time.

However, the court did find Cho guilty of making false statements regarding his receipt of martial law documents during the Constitutional Court impeachment trial and the National Assembly's investigation. The court stated, "As the NIS chief, the defendant should have sincerely addressed public concerns and taken responsibility for any wrongdoing. Nevertheless, he prepared false responses to minimize and conceal his responsibility and even committed perjury in the Constitutional Court."
The court emphasized that such actions deceive the public and significantly undermine trust in the National Intelligence Service, warranting a serious penalty.

Following the verdict, the special prosecutor's team announced plans to appeal the acquittal, expressing disappointment over the rejection of Hong's testimony.