Probe into Martial Law Declaration Suspicion Widens After Discovery of Preparatory Signs

The 2nd Comprehensive Special Prosecutor's team, led by Kwon Chang-young, which is investigating suspicions of martial law declaration, is expanding its probe after discovering indications of martial law preparations since the first half of 2024. At a regular briefing on the 4th, Deputy Special Prosecutor Kim Ji-mi announced that indications of martial law preparations from the first half of 2024 were confirmed during the investigation of officials from the Military Counterintelligence Command.

This differs somewhat from the findings of the 1st Special Prosecutor's team, which previously investigated allegations of rebellion and foreign collusion. The 1st Special Prosecutor's team had viewed that discussions of martial law occurred prior to 2023, based on evidence such as the notebook of former Information Command Chief Noh Sang-won. However, after a court did not recognize the evidentiary value of the notebook, it judged the decision-making point for martial law declaration to be around December 1, 2024.

It remains unconfirmed whether the recently secured involvement of the Military Counterintelligence Command by the Comprehensive Special Prosecutor's team includes concrete execution plans.

During the investigation, a special investigator received a one-month suspension penalty for posting content, including investigation-related photos and personal reflections, on their personal social media account.

The special prosecutor's team investigated two suspects and 43 witnesses last week. It is currently proceeding with searches and seizures of the Presidential Archives related to allegations of route changes for the Yangpyeong expressway, and is also considering searches and seizures of the prosecution's internal network servers.