Behind the martial law declaration: What happened on that night, and who gave orders

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Behind the martial law declaration: What happened on that night, and who gave orders

Published: 07 Dec. 2024, 13:07 Updated: 08 Dec. 2024, 18:16

SARAH CHEA
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, talks with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun at an event in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on Oct. 1. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Before, during and after President Yoon Suk Yeol's shocking martial law declaration on Dec. 3, speculation has arisen that a few in his orbit were involved in the process.

With an investigation into the alleged charges of insurrection launched, this piece intends to give a detailed timeline of Tuesday night, including what Yoon discussed with his loyal allies.

It turned out that Yoon made direct calls to the commanders of the Army Special Warfare Command and Capital Defense Command (CDC) to confirm the movements of troops. It was also revealed that former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun ordered the commanders to stand by even before the martial law declaration and deploy the armed forces prior to the issuance, which could also be seen as an attempt to take control of the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, led by a few figures in key roles under Yoon’s authority.

Based on the testimonies of relevant figures at the National Assembly and media interviews, it is highly likely that the top-secret movements by those chosen by the president were carried out with total disregard for the chain of command, even before the decree came into force. In other words, some illegal acts may have been committed.

Commander Kwak Jong-geun from the Army Special Warfare Command, center, talks during an interview with Democratic Party Rep. Kim Byung-joo, left, streamed on Kim's YouTube channel on Friday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Former defense minister's direct orders

Lieutenant Generals Kwak Jong-geun of the Army Special Warfare Command and Lee Jin-woo of the Capital Defense Command stated that they received a standby order from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun both before and after Yoon’s proclamation of martial law.

They added that Yoon was involved in the process of ordering the movement of troops. This could be an important clue in determining who is responsible for the armed forces deployment as the order bypassed the martial law commander, who has full command in a martial law situation.

Kwak was given a “standby order from the defense minister around 20 minutes before the martial law declaration,” he said while speaking to a YouTube channel run by Democratic Party (DP) Rep. Kim Byung-joo, adding that he became aware of the situation “through the media.”

President Yoon Suk Yeol bows his head as he makes a public apology in a televised address from the Yongsan presidential office in Seoul Saturday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Kim’s orders continued after the proclamation.

“Through a call, I was ordered by Kim to secure the National Assembly facilities and National Election Commission facilities, as well as to mobilize armed forces to control those,” Kwak added in the interview.

The lieutenant general said he was also ordered to pull out lawmakers from the plenary session, but he “did not respond due to the certain illegality.”

“There was a call from the minister 10 minutes before the declaration but Kim did not use the word ‘emergency martial law’ at the time, but only said to wait in the office 'because the situation is critical,’ and go to the National Assembly after the declaration,” the CDC's Lee said in an interview on the same channel.

“I only had one call with the martial law commander, but talked to the minister several times.”

Commander Lee Jin-woo from the Capital Defense Command, center, talks during an interview with Democratic Party Rep. Kim Byung-joo, left, streamed on Kim's YouTube channel on Friday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Yoon’s attempt to control the National Assembly

Kwak and Lee both confessed that they received phone calls from Yoon.

“I got a phone call once [from the president] asking the whereabouts of the 707th Special Mission Group,” Kwak explained, adding that it was before his arrival at the National Assembly, but he couldn't recall the exact time.

Lee also got a call once from Yoon, who asked, “How is the situation there [at the National Assembly]?” Lee answered, “It is very complex and difficult for people to move.”

The deployment of the 707th Special Mission Group unit has spawned speculation that the whole operation was carried out without a proper command system, or even such a concept, for martial law. Kwak said the only reason that particular military unit was mobilized at the National Assembly was because it was preparing for night training at the time. The 707 unit specializes in counterterrorism activities.

This can also be explained as a demonstration of the decision by the military leadership to deploy any force, regardless of which unit, with a focus on quickly taking control of the National Assembly, where voting to lift martial law is held. Lt. Gen. Kwak said that the 707 unit descended on the parliament complex by helicopter, which took 50 minutes just to prepare.

During this process, Kwak said he was ordered to secure and guard the National Assembly, the National Election Commission and the public opinion survey firm Flower. He sent the advance team to the sites because he “hadn’t been to them, except for the National Assembly.”

The remark provides supporting evidence that he was ordered to enter facilities not subject to usual operations and that there was no basic preliminary investigation for the operation's implementation.

Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, right, and Cho Ji-ho, commissioner of the Korean National Police Agency, talk at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Friday. [NEWS1]

Yoon's ChoongAm personal associates

In the troop deployment to the National Election Commission, a key task was handled by Yeo In-hyung, commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, who is a close personal associate of Yoon, both alumni of ChoongAm High School.

President Yoon announced martial law at 10:23 p.m. on Tuesday, and right after that, Yeo called Cho Ji-ho, commissioner of the Korean National Police Agency.

“Yeo told me that he is heading to the National Election Commission and ordered the preparation of investigators as we need to set up a joint investigation force with the police,” Cho said in a parliamentary hearing.

Yeo requested that Cho identify the location of key figures including lawmakers at the time, according to information submitted by the National Police Agency to the office of Yang Bu-nam, a DP lawmaker on the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee. The National Police Agency, however, did not respond due to the illegality of the order.

It was 10:33 p.m. when some 10 soldiers mobilized under martial law arrived at the National Election Commission, according to the government body, which means the cooperation request to the police and the deployment of the armed forces were made almost simultaneously.

A decree by Yoon's appointed martial law commander, Army Chief of Staff General Park An-su, which banned "fake news" and the manipulation of public opinion, took effect at 11 p.m. and was announced at 11:23 p.m. Park said he knew about the appointment after Yoon’s declaration.

This fact presents evidence that military forces were deployed to the National Election Commission before the martial law command, a fundamental component of a state of martial law, was properly formed and even before the proclamation took effect.

Citizens demand President Yoon Suk Yeol resign at a protest held in Daejeon on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Alleged involvement of Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min

Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is alleged to have been involved in a meeting with a few close associates of President Yoon. Lee is also one of four graduates of ChoongAm High School who, the DP alleges, were at a secret meeting earlier in the year.

Lee had a phone call with former Defense Minister Kim for 30 seconds at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, according to records from the Interior Ministry submitted to the office of DP Rep. Lee Sang-sik. At that same time, Kim had a meeting with President Yoon, which raises speculation that Kim called Lee during his discussion with the president.

Lee is said to have been moving to Seoul from outside the capital during that time.

The Interior Ministry said Lee was told by Kim to “come to the presidential office in Yongsan,” and Lee was made aware of the martial law plan after his arrival.

Applying the timeline and details, speculation has been raised that Yoon’s martial law discussion was shared with commanders of the Army’s Special Warfare Command and the CDC, who were loyal to former Defense Minister Kim.

But now, all of them are shifting the blame to each other. Yeo, the defense counterintelligence commander, even laid the responsibility on Kim by saying he “watched the martial law situation through the television and was shocked” in a recent media interview.

BY LEE KEUN-PYUNG, LEE YU-JUNG, SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]