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Military drafted martial law plans in Nov. at instruction of counterintelligence chief: lawmaker

By Yonhap

Published : Dec. 8, 2024 - 21:42

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Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung, commander of the Counterintelligence Command, attends a meeting of the standing intelligence committee of the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung, commander of the Counterintelligence Command, attends a meeting of the standing intelligence committee of the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

The military's counterintelligence unit had already drafted plans to implement martial law in November at the instruction of the unit's chief, an opposition lawmaker said Sunday.

Rep. Choo Mi-ae of the main opposition Democratic Party made the case, claiming her office has obtained documents indicating that the Counterintelligence Command had prepared the plans in writing at the order of its commander, Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung.

Yeo is one of the three commanders who have been suspended from duty and are likely to face a probe over their alleged roles in the botched martial law imposition by President Yoon Suk Yeol last week.

According to Choo, the documents include plans for declaring martial law, details on the Martial Law Act and its related decrees, and other considerations, according to Choo.

Part of the documents states that the president "has no right to reject if the majority of parliament demands the end of martial law."

Choo said this suggests that the counterintelligence unit looked into blocking the National Assembly from exercising its authority to demand the lifting of martial law. (Yonhap)