South Korea: Special Counsel Questions Ex-Presidential Chief Of Staff In Martial Law Probe

2025-09-18 02:00:27

(MENAFN- IANS) Seoul, Sep 18 (IANS) A special counsel team in South Korea questioned former presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk on Thursday over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law.

Chung was called to special counsel Cho Eun-suk's office and questioned by the team for the first time in connection with Yoon's declaration of martial law in December.

Chung, who is considered one of Yoon's closest aides, attended a Cabinet meeting convened by the then-President immediately before he imposed the decree, reports Yonhap news agency.

He was also found to have met with Yoon inside a military control room shortly before a second Cabinet meeting was held the next day to lift the decree.

Chung has been suspected of deleting records and documents related to the martial law declaration from shared computers at the presidential office in order to destroy evidence.

Additionally, three general officers at the Defence Counterintelligence Command were suspended on Thursday over their alleged involvement in Yoon's martial law bid, the defence ministry said.

"The defence ministry separated the three general officers, pending suspension, to verify objective facts in relation to the martial law imposition and seek swift stabilisation of the organisation," the ministry said in a notice to reporters.

The command is suspected of playing a central role in the martial law imposition, with Yeo In-hyung, the former head of the Defence Counterintelligence Command, accused of sending troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission.

Yeo has also been indicted on charges including perjury and violation of military secrets.

With the latest move, all seven general officers at the counterintelligence command have been suspended from their duties.

The government seeks to transfer the roles of the counterintelligence command to other institutions and eventually scrap the organisation, according to a policy road map confirmed Tuesday.

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