Seoul, Jan 6 (IANS) — South Korean prosecutors on Monday indicted Major General Moon Sang-ho, the head of Defence Intelligence, for allegedly playing a pivotal role in the attempted imposition of martial law last month under President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration. Moon faces charges of insurrection and abuse of power.
According to the special investigation team, Moon is suspected of deploying troops to the National Election Commission’s office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, on the night of the brief martial law enforcement on December 3. Prosecutors allege he coordinated martial law operations in a meeting held two days prior with former Defence Intelligence Commander Noh Sang-won and two other subordinates at a fast-food restaurant in Gyeonggi Province, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
This follows the indictment of two other high-ranking military officials on December 31, 2024. Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung, head of the Defence Counterintelligence Command, and Lieutenant General Lee Jin-woo, commander of the Capital Defence Command, were charged with insurrection and abuse of power. Both are currently in detention.
Prosecutors claim that Yeo, acting on orders from former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, directed troops to be sent to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission during the martial law period. He is also accused of ordering the arrest of 14 individuals, including key figures from both the ruling and main opposition parties.
Lee, meanwhile, allegedly oversaw the deployment of troops to the National Assembly, ordering them to forcibly remove lawmakers from the premises on the night martial law was imposed.
The latest indictment marks the prosecution’s second major action in the case, following the indictment of former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun last week. Prosecutors have described the commanders’ actions as an attempt to incite a coup and undermine the constitutional order.
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