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Election server seizure during martial law allegedly plotted in hamburger joint

Published: 17 Dec. 2024, 18:34

Defense Intelligence Commander Moon Sang-ho speaks during a parliamentary committee meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 10. [NEWS1]

The plan to seize the National Election Commission (NEC) during the Dec. 3 martial law declaration was allegedly conceived in a fast food hamburger franchise restaurant.

Senior commanders from the Defense Intelligence Command met two days before the declaration in a Lotteria hamburger restaurant in Ansan, Gyeonggi. The police have secured and are analyzing the store's CCTV footage recorded on Dec. 1.

The martial law special investigation unit under the National Police Agency obtained footage showing four individuals — former Defense Intelligence Commander Noh Sang-won, current Commander Moon Sang-ho, and two Colonels surnamed Kim and Jeong — meeting on Dec. 1, two days before martial law was declared.

"Someone said we should eat the hamburgers before talking, so we ate the burgers first," Colonel Jeong reportedly said during police questioning.

“Noh then said we could secure evidence of election fraud if we checked the NEC server and told us, ‘You just need to go to the NEC’s computer room.’”

Noh Sang-won, former chief of the Defense Intelligence Command [YONHAP]

Noh, who served as Defense Intelligence Commander under the Park Geun-hye administration, was a civilian at the time of the martial law declaration.

However, the liberal Democratic Party (DP) has pointed to him as a key de facto figure behind the scenes during the incident due to his close ties with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. The DP has accused Noh of meeting or making several phone calls with Kim before and after the declaration of martial law.

The police suspect that Noh exerted influence over the current chain of command, including Moon. Moon is accused of ordering troops to the NEC office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi.

The National Office of Investigation (NOI) under the National Police Agency filed an arrest warrant for Noh on Tuesday as a part of its probe into Yoon’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law.

Moon was arrested without a warrant alongside Noh on Sunday, but the prosecution did not approve Moon’s arrest, citing that Moon is on active duty, requiring a military court warrant. Noh’s arrest was approved.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]