SEOUL: Plans to impose martial law were drawn up in November as directed by South Korea’s military counter-intelligence unit chief, an opposition member said on Monday (Dec 9).
Choo Mi-ae of the Democratic Party said her office received documents that showed the counter-intelligence unit had devised the plans under the instruction of Lieutenant-General Yeo In-hyung, according to a report by Yonhap news agency.
Lt-gen Yeo is among three senior commanders who have been suspended from duties and will likely be probed over his involvement in the short-lived martial law that President Yoon Suk-Yeol tried to implement on Dec 3.
The documents reveal plans for declaring martial law, information about the Martial Law Act and other relevant decrees, Choo said.
She added that part of the documents includes a point about how the President “has no right to reject, if the majority of Parliament demands the end of martial law”, Yonhap reported.
This indicates that the counter-intelligence unit had considered blocking lawmakers from entering the National Assembly, so as to stop them from exercising their authority in lifting the martial law, Choo said.
Meanwhile, Yonhap News reported on Dec 8 that the prosecutors’ office opened a treason investigation into Yoon over his declaration of martial law last week. If found guilty, a process that could take months or years, he could face life in prison or even death. - The Straits Times/ANN
