Ex-JCS Chairman Kim Myung-soo Questioned Over Insurrection Allegations

SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- Kim Myung-soo, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), appeared before special prosecutors Wednesday for questioning over his alleged involvement in an insurrection related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law. The second comprehensive special counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young began questioning Kim as a suspect in the morning on suspicion of performing key duties under the short-lived martial law imposed Dec. 3, 2024, which a Seoul district court has ruled had led to an insurrection, sentencing the former president to life imprisonment. Kim, a retired admiral, is accused of taking part in the alleged insurrection by forming a martial law command even after watching the controversial deployment of martial law troops to the National Assembly. Kwon's team views Kim's alleged issuance of a fragmentary order to the Army Special Warfare Command and the Capital Defense Command to prioritize martial law affairs as an act of complicity in insurrection. The team reportedly found indications during questioning of Lee Seung-oh, former chief director of operations at the JCS, and others that subordinates had proposed withdrawing troops, and suspects Kim disregarded the proposal and failed to issue a separate withdrawal order. Kim told reporters before entering Kwon's office that he was not aware of Yoon's martial law in advance and the JCS just followed the established guidelines at that time.