SEOUL, December 22 (AJP) - Police are questioning Roh Sang-won, a former military intelligence chief, over his alleged role in planning the Dec. 3 martial law declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol. Roh is accused of collaborating with Moon Sang-ho, the arrested commander of the Military Intelligence Command, to orchestrate the operation.
The National Assembly impeached President Yoon on Dec. 14, suspending him from his duties. The motion, passed 204 to 85, cited allegations of rebellion and abuse of power. Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3, deploying Special Warfare Command (SWC) soldiers to key government facilities, including the National Assembly, citing threats to national security.
Martial law was lifted three hours later, at 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 4, after 190 lawmakers unanimously voted to end it, despite attempts by martial forces to breach the Assembly’s main hall.
Investigators have obtained a notebook from Roh’s residence, which reportedly contains critical details about the martial law operation, including the deployment of forces to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission (NEC). Roh, dishonorably discharged in 2018 over sexual harassment allegations, has been questioned extensively about the notebook’s contents, though police have declined to disclose specifics.
Roh was arrested on Dec. 15 on charges of rebellion. Two days before martial law was declared, he allegedly met Moon and two other military officers at a fast-food restaurant near Seoul to discuss operational plans.
Police previously stated they found evidence indicating Moon received instructions from Roh to "secure the National Election Commission servers in connection with election fraud once martial law was declared." During the operation, military forces raided the NEC and photographed its servers.
Roh's notebook, which allegedly outlines key aspects of the martial law plans, could serve as a "smoking gun" in the investigation. Police are also pursuing leads on the whereabouts of Roh's pre-martial-law mobile phone and examining whether additional planning meetings with military officials took place.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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