Military preparations made for martial law citing N. Korea provocation possibilities

[Anchor]

What was the background that allowed elite troops, including the Special Forces, to be quickly deployed at the time of the declaration of martial law?

The prosecution believes that some military leaders have been diligently preparing for martial law, citing the possibility of North Korea's terrorism or provocations.

Next, we have a report from reporter Kim Tae-hoon.

[Report]

In June of last year, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who met with President Yoon at the private residence in Samcheong-dong, referred to the four military generals present as "the loyal generals of the President."

The four are Yeo In-hyung, the head of the Counterintelligence Command, Kwak Jong-geun, the commander of the Special Warfare Command, Lee Jin-woo, the commander of the Defense Security Command, and Kang Ho-pil, who was the Deputy Chief of Staff at the time. Three of them have recently been arrested and indicted on charges of engaging in important tasks related to insurrection.

The prosecution believes that they have been preparing for martial law in an orderly manner under the pretext of preparing for North Korean provocations.

Commander Kwak reportedly instructed his subordinates the day before the martial law was declared, saying, "The possibility has increased of North Korea mobilizing sympathizers in South Korea to provoke," and suggested preparing a suppression operation using non-lethal weapons.

On the afternoon of the day martial law was declared, 12 helicopters were also put on standby.

Both Commander Yeo and Commander Lee have also been investigated for emphasizing the need to strengthen readiness among their staff, citing the possibility of North Korea's trash balloon provocations and preparing for martial law.

Former Minister Kim also revealed during the prosecution's investigation that he told key commanders of the entire military that they would be punished for insubordination if they did not follow his orders at the time of the martial law declaration.

In the eighty-three-page indictment against former Minister Kim, the word "President" appears one hundred forty-one times, even more than the involved former Minister Kim himself, indicating that the focal point of the martial law situation is President Yoon.

This is KBS News, Kim Tae-hoon.