Former JCS Head Indicted Over Martial Law Declaration

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A special counsel team investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration indicted a former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Thursday over his alleged involvement.

Special counsel Kwon Chang-young's team indicted Kim Myung-soo for allegedly playing a key role in the martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024, when Kim served as the nation's highest-ranking military officer. He was indicted without detention.

Investigators allege Kim took no action as martial law troops moved into the National Assembly and that he helped set up a martial law command. They contend Kim was aware at that time that the martial law bid and troop deployment were unlawful, and argue he failed to act appropriately given his position as the nation's top military officer.

The team said testimony it had obtained showed Kim's aides warned him several times that the declaration was procedurally flawed and that troops at the National Assembly should be pulled back. Legal experts had also advised him, according to the testimony, that command authority over the military would stay with the JCS even after martial law took effect.

Kim's side has rejected the allegations, claiming then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun took over control of martial law troops after Yoon's declaration and that he had been sidelined from decision-making procedures.

The team also indicted three others, including Lee Jae-sik, former deputy chief of the JCS Combat Readiness Inspection Office, over their alleged involvement in the martial law bid.