South Korea: Special counsel to announce result of 6-month probe into ex-President Yoon's martial law bid

Seoul, Dec 14 A special counsel team will announce this week the results of its months-longs investigation into insurrection charges related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law, officials said Sunday.

Over the past six months, the team has indicted Yoon and 23 others for their alleged roles in the December 2024 martial law and has worked with military prosecutors to indict three additional military officials.

Investigators sought arrest warrants in 11 cases, with courts approving five of them, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Special counsel Cho Eun-seok is scheduled to announce the findings on Monday, officials said, marking his first public briefing since the probe was launched on June 18.

Former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun was indicted just six days after the investigation began, and Yoon was taken into custody on July 10, about four months after his release from detention.

While Yoon had already been indicted by prosecutors on charges of leading an insurrection through his martial law bid, the special counsel additionally charged him with aiding the enemy, accusing him of ordering the dispatch of drones to North Korea months before the declaration.

Investigators also charged Yoon with abuse of power, alleging the move was intended to provoke retaliation from the North and use it as a pretext for declaring martial law.

Former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min was indicted while in custody in August on charges of ordering the suspension of electricity and water supplies to media organisations.

Ex-National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Cho Tae-yong was also arrested on charges of violating the NIS law in connection with his alleged involvement in the martial law declaration.

Arrest warrant requests for other senior officials accused of involvement in Yoon's martial law -- former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, former ruling People Power Party floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, and former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae -- were rejected.

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