The first formal hearings of high-ranking military and police officers implicated in suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s alleged insurrection attempt begin this week, starting with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun’s trial on Monday.
Kim, who faces charges of insurrection and abuse of power, is believed to have acted under Yoon’s orders to deploy military forces to blockade the National Assembly to prevent the lawmakers from voting to nullify Yoon’s martial law decree.
During his two preparatory hearings in January and February, Kim denied the charges against him and claimed the martial law declaration did not constitute an act of insurrection.
The Seoul Central District Court simultaneously held the first formal hearing for the former commander of the Korea Defense Intelligence Command, Noh Sang-won, and a former DIC colonel who was most recently head of the Criminal Investigation Command Investigation Team, Kim Yong-gun, on Monday afternoon, as it decided to combine the two cases with that of the former defense minister on Feb. 27.
Noh — a close aide of the former defense minister — was indicted on charges of insurrection, abuse of power and obstructing others from exercising their rights. Col. Kim was accused of aiding the insurrection and obstructing others from exercising their rights.
The two former DIC officials are suspected of having discussed Yoon's martial law operation plans with Kim prior to Yoon's declaration on Dec. 3.
Meanwhile, the court is scheduled to hold its first formal hearing in the trial of suspended Korean National Police Agency Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho and former Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Kim Bong-sik at 10 a.m. Thursday.
The two police officials allegedly met Yoon at a presidential safe house in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, on Dec. 3 at around 7 p.m. before Yoon's martial law declaration. They received orders from the president and sent police personnel to help the military control the National Assembly once Yoon declared martial law at 10:23 p.m. Dec. 3.
They are accused of ordering police to prevent lawmakers from entering the National Assembly, and of involvement in the military’s attempts to arrest a list of 14 key political leaders and Yoon's opponents — including main opposition leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung and former ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon — take over the National Election Commission, seizing control of its computer server room.
sj_lee@heraldcorp.com
