The independent counsel team (special prosecutor Cho Eun-seok), which has been investigating civil war and foreign exchange cases related to the December 3 emergency martial law, judged that the purpose of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of emergency martial law was to monopolize and maintain power. Resolving the "judicial risk" of himself and his wife, Kim Gun-hee, was one of the motives. However, they concluded that the allegation that First Lady Kim colluded with former President Yoon in martial law in advance was not true. After martial law was declared, the independent counsel team secured a statement that First Lady Kim was angry with former President Yoon.
Special prosecutor Cho held a briefing at the Seoul High Prosecutor's Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 15th and said, "As a result of the investigation, Yoon Suk Yeol and others have prepared for emergency martial law before October 2023," adding, "We have confirmed that they have declared emergency martial law with the aim of suspending political activities and functions of the National Assembly by force, taking control of legislative and judicial powers through an emergency legislative body to replace the National Assembly, and then removing opposition and monopolizing and maintaining power."
In order to create a justification for declaring an emergency martial law, the special prosecutor's team judged that former President Yoon and others declared an emergency martial law by calling the National Assembly's political activities "anti-state acts" and "anti-state forces" that plot civil war.
◇Kim Gun-hee secured a statement that he was angry at the 尹, saying, "I ruined everything because of you."
The "monopoly and maintenance of power," which the independent counsel's team said is the motive for declaring martial law, includes resolving judicial risks. "I believe that the monopoly and maintenance of power stems from the desire to do as one wants, and that the mind includes resolving judicial risks against oneself and one's spouse," said Park Ji-young, special counsel for the independent counsel for rebellion. Kim's judicial risks include "intervention in the nomination of Myung Tae-kyun" and "manipulating the stock price of Deutsche Motors."
However, the independent counsel team determined that Kim was not involved in the emergency martial law. After checking the communication history of the military commander who attended the meeting of the presidential residence from August to November last year, Kim did not attend the meeting. When martial law was declared on Dec. 3, last year, an investigation of the administrator who assisted Kim and the plastic surgeon who visited her found no signs of emergency martial law.
The independent counsel team secured a statement that Kim was deeply angry at former President Yoon, who declared martial law. Kim's aides said, "When Kim Gun-hee and President Yoon Suk Yeol fought hard when they declared the martial law," and "I was very angry that (Kim) told former President Yoon that he ruined everything because of you," and " (Kim) himself had a lot on his mind, but he declared an emergency martial law, so everything was ruined."
◇Criticizing Han Dong-hoon... We're trying to rig the election in April last year
Former President Yoon and others replaced Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik, who expressed his opposition to martial law, with Kim Yong-hyun, then head of the presidential security department.
The special prosecutor's team also believes that the investigation team was formed around intelligence agents to manipulate the results of last April's general elections into fraudulent elections by anti-state forces to create a justification for emergency martial law and the suspension of the National Assembly's functions.
Former President Yoon also harshly criticized Han Dong-hoon, former chairman of the People's Power Party. In July last year, he told Kang Ho-pil, former deputy chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that (Han) is a red man, and on Oct. 1 the same year, he said, "Catch Han Dong-hoon. I will shoot him and kill him."
◇ Select the date of emergency martial law, the special prosecutor's team said, "Yushin was also in the middle of the U.S. presidential election in October."
Regarding the Dec. 3 emergency decree, the independent counsel judged that it was intended to prevent the U.S. from intervening in the matter considering the U.S. election situation. "Considering that the 'October Restoration' was also in the middle of the U.S. presidential election, it seems that the U.S. presidential candidate took advantage of the chaotic period before taking office to block U.S. intervention," said Park. Last year's U.S. presidential election was held on Nov. 5, and President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20 this year.
During last year's emergency martial law scandal, Cho Tae-yong, former head of the National Intelligence Service, was scheduled to depart for the U.S. on Dec. 4 to meet with the nominee for director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. "We found no signs of shamanistic intervention," said Park.
◇ Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae will not be indicted on suspicion of 'commitment to martial law'
The special prosecution team did not indict Cho Hee-dae, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Chun Dae-yeop, Chief of the National Court Administration, on the previous day, a case filed by civic groups, including important civil war workers. It said it has not been confirmed that Cho and others held an executive meeting to prepare or discuss measures related to emergency martial law. At that time, the martial law command asked the Supreme Court practitioner to send a liaison officer, but the Supreme Court expressed its intention to reject it at the time.
Special prosecutor Park said, "There were reports that they responded to the martial law commander's instructions and manuals at 0:46 on the 4th after the declaration of the emergency martial law, but as a result of the confirmation, Chief Justice Cho arrived at the Supreme Court building at 0:40 and Chief Justice Cheon at 0:50," adding, "Considering this, it is difficult to say that discussions such as media reports took place at the meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Chief of Court Administration."
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"It appears that the number of defendants has been reduced to the bare minimum.
The concerns that existed from the very beginning have now materialized.
Even if the remaining individuals are punished for other reasons,
they will likely continue to wield power through the People Power Party.
For the next thirty years or so, it seems unlikely that there will be any days of ease."