Yoon decided to impose martial law as early as November 2022, indictment papers say
Published: 19 Nov. 2025, 17:57
Updated: 19 Nov. 2025, 19:53
![Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, listens to former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun during a military event held in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on Oct. 1, 2024. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/19/660a4b0d-fbff-4cce-abb2-fa811f093a4f.jpg)
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, listens to former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun during a military event held in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on Oct. 1, 2024. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The special investigation team investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol for insurrection believes Yoon decided to impose martial law as early as November 2022, according to indictment papers obtained by the JoongAng Ilbo on Tuesday.
The team, which indicted Yoon for trying to provoke North Korea into starting a conflict, concluded that his decision set in motion a series of actions, including a plan for martial law drafted in October 2023, detailed operational preparations beginning in April 2024, final preparations in November and a full-scale simulation on Dec. 2, 2024.
In particular, investigators concluded that drone operations targeting Pyongyang in October — orchestrated by Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun — were designed to manufacture justification for declaring martial law on Dec. 3.
'Emergency power' raised in November 2022
According to the indictment, Yoon talked about emergency powers during a dinner at the presidential residence with leaders of the People Power Party around Nov. 25, 2022. He reportedly told Kim Jong-hyuk, then a member of the party’s emergency committee, “I have emergency powers, and I will sweep everything away,” and, “I will wipe them all out, even if that means I get shot to death.”
The special counsel concluded that Yoon, facing political paralysis under a divided National Assembly following his May 2022 inauguration, opted for martial law as a means of regaining control.
Noh Sang-won, a former head of the Defense Intelligence Command who was identified as a behind-the-scenes architect of the plan, began jotting down plans for martial law in a notebook in October 2023. These included a list of individuals to be “rounded up,” while Noh reportedly maintained close contact with Kim Yong-hyun, who was then head of the Presidential Security Service.
![Park Ji-young, assistant special counsel, briefs reporters on the findings by the probe at the counsel's office in southern Seoul on Nov. 10. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/19/7e923d9c-c61f-41ad-ab60-d0f925fa6e8a.jpg)
Park Ji-young, assistant special counsel, briefs reporters on the findings by the probe at the counsel's office in southern Seoul on Nov. 10. [YONHAP]
![Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun are questioned during a Constitutional Court hearing on Yoon's impeachment, at the Constitutional Court in central Seoul on Jan. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/19/5d2daaac-ac36-4877-a456-df10a3a388ee.jpg)
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun are questioned during a Constitutional Court hearing on Yoon's impeachment, at the Constitutional Court in central Seoul on Jan. 23. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Personnel change begins
Investigators say that In July 2024, while attending the NATO summit, Yoon met with Kim and Kang Ho-pil, then deputy chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a hotel in Hawaii. There, Yoon referred to then-Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon as a “commie” and harshly criticized the opposition, according to the indictment. Yoon reportedly asked, “Shouldn’t the military be involved?” — a comment seen as further solidifying his plans.
When former Defense Minister Shin Won-sik opposed the idea, Yoon abruptly replaced Shin with Kim Yong-hyun on Aug. 12. Investigators noted that Kim Yong-dae was appointed head of the Drone Operations Command that April, despite internal objections, with the support of Kim Yong-hyun and others.
The special counsel stated this was part of a strategy to form "a personnel lineup capable of executing martial law and initiating detailed preparations."
![The Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea is seen from South Korea's Paju, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 18. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/19/0be7142c-7ec8-4e97-969f-03f8122e1f5d.jpg)
The Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea is seen from South Korea's Paju, Gyeonggi, on Nov. 18. [YONHAP]
Drones used to provoke North Korea
The special counsel team concluded that to justify declaring martial law, Yoon devised an operation to fly small drones over Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaflets. In May 2024, Kim Yong-dae, then commander of the drone unit, reported operational tests to Kim Yong-hyun, who was still a civilian at the time. After assuming the post of defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun took active control over the drone mission. The leaflets contained critical messages about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, including lines like Kim was “only interested in filling his own belly.”
Drone operations were carried out on Oct. 3, 8 and 10, and extended into November. Between Oct. 31 and Nov. 19 — just two weeks before the planned martial law declaration — drones targeted politically and militarily sensitive areas in North Korea, including Wonsan, Kosan, Kaesong, Nampo and Sinpo.
Investigators concluded that Kim Yong-hyun forcefully pushed the operation, likening it to “gaslighting.” Kim also ordered the military to shoot down trash-laden balloons sent by North Korea on Nov. 18 and 28, according to the indictment.
![Trash-laden balloons are seen flying across the sky in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, on Oct. 4, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/19/3b06ba57-2fe1-47cc-a466-ae38f11edf35.jpg)
Trash-laden balloons are seen flying across the sky in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, on Oct. 4, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]
![Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Sept. 26. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/19/a8226a1a-14f2-4274-ab73-ecf97dd3ed02.jpg)
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on Sept. 26. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
'Martial law drill' held Dec. 2, 2024
On Nov. 24, 2024, Yoon held a final preparatory meeting with Kim Yong-hyun at the presidential residence, where they discussed the imminent declaration of martial law, according to investigators. Kim drafted the declaration, a public address and a decree.
When Noh learned that former intelligence chief Moon Sang-ho was scheduled to travel abroad on Nov. 25, Noh reportedly scolded Moon, saying, “Do you know what’s happening right now? Cancel it immediately and return by Wednesday [Nov. 27] at the latest.”
On Dec. 2 — the day before the planned martial law declaration — the final simulation took place. Kim Yong-hyun ordered Moon to deploy special forces and prepare for action. Moon then phoned Noh with the instructions.
The special counsel stated that the Pyongyang drone operation served as a buildup to martial law. “The president and defense minister, entrusted with national security, tried to manufacture conditions for martial law by manipulating inter-Korean military tensions, jeopardizing public safety,” the indictment read.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM BO-REUM, SUK GYEONG-MIN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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