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Police find mentions of provoking North at NLL in Noh Sang-won's pocketbook

Published: 23 Dec. 2024, 18:04 Updated: 23 Dec. 2024, 19:21

LEE SOO-JUNG
[email protected]

Noh Sang-won, former chief of the Defense Intelligence Command who has been accused of plotting martial law as a civilian. [JTBC]

Police said Monday that they have found a note that mentions “inducing North Korea’s provocation at the Northern Limit Line [NLL]” inside a pocketbook of a former military commander who was accused of helping plot President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law on Dec. 3.

NLL functions as the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas.

The pocketbook belongs to Noh Sang-won, former chief of the Defense Intelligence Command who reportedly turned to shamanism after facing dishonorable discharge from the military six years ago after being convicted of sexual assault. Noh has been suspected of illegally instructing active and retired soldiers about martial law on Dec. 1 and 3 and holding meetings at a hamburger joint in Ansan, Gyeonggi.

The memo about provoking Pyongyang appeared to be in line with an accusation raised by opposition Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers that ex-Defense Minister Kim attempted to instigate North Korea to justify Yoon’s martial law imposition in South Korea.

While the DP made accusations that Kim ordered a strike on the launch site of North Korea's trash balloon and sent unmanned drones over the inter-Korean border, investigative authorities have not identified whether actual actions were taken place according to Noh’s notes.

Noh’s palm-sized notebook had 60 to 70 pages, and many of its written memos were related to martial law, according to an officer from the National Office of Investigation (NOI) under the National Police Agency. The diary was confiscated at Noh’s fortune-telling site in Ansan during a police search and seizure operation on Dec. 15.

According to police, the pocketbook contained the expression “blocking the National Assembly.” It also referred to some politicians, journalists, religious figures, unionized workers, judges and public servants as “targets to collect” with a specific plan for their detention after captures.

At the time of writing, the police agency has not found any notes about the martial law decree from Noh’s diary.

The agency also said it secured a statement that a meeting of military officials at a local burger joint in Ansan was to “form a private group with 60 people centering on Noh.”

Noh reportedly had prepared personal appointments for the 60 people, including duty assignments. Specifically, the group was allegedly instructed to seize National Election Commission (NEC) servers. Previously, ex-Defense Minister Kim told the Dong-A Ilbo that he had sent martial law forces to the NEC on Dec. 3 to secure evidence regarding suspicions of electoral fraud.

A door of Noh Sang-won's fortune-telling site in Ansan, Gyeonggi shows a symbol often associated with Buddhist temples and shamans on Dec. 20. A pile of dried fish, commonly used in shamanistic rituals, is on the right. [NEWS1]

Police also said they will interrogate President Yoon Suk Yeol on Christmas Day, which falls on Wednesday this week, if he accepts a summons from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO).

Police personnel will be dispatched to a questioning site for a joint investigation — a multiagency effort between the CIO, police and the Ministry of National Defense.

Last Friday, the CIO requested that Yoon appear at the CIO headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi at 10 a.m. Wednesday. In the subpoena, Yoon was specified as a suspect of a leader of insurrection and power abuse.

The officer from the NOI added that the agency is reviewing the issuance of either an arrest or detention warrant against Yoon through coordination with the CIO. Typically, a detention warrant can hold up a suspect longer than an arrest warrant.

Police also noted that they are conducting an analysis of secret phones used by 25 key military officers who were allegedly involved in the martial law imposition.

On Sunday, police said the NOI is reviewing telecommunication records of Yoon’s private phone — not a secret phone. The agency said it will continuously pursue an effort to secure an actual device of Yoon’s secret phone and its data.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]