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Martial law forces carried nearly 58,000 rounds of live ammo, prosecutors say

Published: 05 Jan. 2025, 17:30

A helicopter carrying troops lands at the National Assembly compound in Yeouido, western Seoul, early Dec. 4. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Prosecutors have determined that military forces deployed during the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law carried a total of 57,735 rounds of live ammunition.

Liberal Democratic Party Rep. Kim Seung-won received the 83-page indictment of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun from the Ministry of Justice on Saturday. The document detailed how martial law forces were deployed with rifles, handguns and live ammunition.

President Yoon Suk Yeol's office had previously claimed that all martial law forces were unarmed.

According to the indictment, the Army Special Warfare Command deployed the most ammunition during the martial law operation.

Lee Sang-hyun, commander of the 1st Airborne Brigade, acting on the orders of Kwak Jong-keun, head of the Special Warfare Command, dispatched 140 troops to the National Assembly at around 11:57 p.m. on the night martial law was declared. At the same time, he loaded 550 rounds of 5.56mm rifle ammunition and 12 rounds of 9mm handgun ammunition onto his command vehicle.

Soldiers withdraw from Korea's National Assembly in the early hours of Dec. 4 after lawmakers vote to overturn President Yoon Suk Yeol's introduction of martial law in Yeouido, western Seoul. [NEWS1]

At 12:45 a.m. the following day, 23,520 rounds and 26,880 rounds of 5.56mm rifle ammunition were loaded onto two transport vehicles to be supplied to subordinate battalions if needed.

Prosecutors also revealed that the 707th Special Mission Group deployed 95 personnel to the National Assembly with 960 rounds of 5.56mm rifle ammunition and 960 rounds of 9mm handgun ammunition loaded onto 12 helicopters.

The 3rd and 9th Airborne Brigades, which were dispatched to the National Election Commission (NEC), were also armed with live ammunition. A battalion commander, acting on orders to seize the NEC, instructed 138 troops to carry personal rifles with 10 blank rounds in their magazines. The live ammunition was kept in sealed boxes in the commander's vehicle.

Special forces deployed after President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration stand in front of the front gates of the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 4. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Another battalion commander equipped 118 troops with full combat gear, including tactical uniforms, bulletproof helmets, vests, face masks and personal firearms. A follow-up unit of 22 personnel carried blanks, live rounds and smoke grenades on a 2.5-ton truck.

The Capital Defense Command was equipped with a range of weapons, including handguns, rifles, sniper rifles, shotguns, flash-bang grenades and slug rounds, according to prosecutors.

Lee Jin-woo, head of the Capital Defense Command, ordered 16 members of a counterterrorism special forces unit to deploy to the National Assembly at 11:10 p.m. on the day martial law was declared. They carried 15 rifles, 15 handguns, one sniper rifle, 1,920 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 320 tracer rounds, 540 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 30 slug rounds, 30 shotgun shells, 10 flash-bang grenades and 360 blank rounds.

Military forces mobilized under Martial Law attempt to enter the National Assembly to get inside the chamber on Dec. 4 in Yeouido, in western Seoul. [YONHAP]

Another Capital Defense Command unit deployed near Gate 1 of the National Assembly with 11 rifles, nine handguns, one drone-jamming gun, 975 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 330 rounds of 9mm ammunition and 330 blanks.

The Capital Defense Command military police entered the vicinity of the National Assembly carrying nine rifles, nine handguns, one sniper rifle, 10 tasers, 525 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 363 rounds of 9mm ammunition and 40 rounds of 7.62mm sniper ammunition.

Moon Sang-ho, commander of the Defense Intelligence Command, also ordered eight officers of major rank to prepare 10 rounds of live ammunition per person. At 8:30 p.m. on the day martial law was declared, 10 individuals, including the planning chief of the Defense Intelligence Command, departed for the NEC carrying 100 rounds of ammunition and magazines.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]