Court rejects arrest warrant for ex-JCS chief in martial law involvement case

A Seoul court on Monday denied an arrest warrant for a former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) over allegations he was involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid.

The Seoul Central District Court rejected the arrest warrant sought against Kim Myung-soo after questioning him during a hearing, saying the charges brought against him were disputable.

It also pointed to the need to guarantee Kim the right to defense and said there was low risk of flight or destruction of evidence.

Kim is accused of having played a key role in an insurrection during Yoon's martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024, when he served as the nation's highest-ranking military officer.

Special counsel Kwon Chang-young's team has alleged Kim stood by as martial law troops were deployed to the National Assembly at the time and he took part in the establishment of a martial law command.

Kwon's team believes Kim had been aware of the illegal nature of Yoon's martial law bid and the deployment of troops at the time, arguing that he did not take appropriate measures as the nation's top military officer.

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.

Kwon's team filed for the warrant for Kim and three other former military officials last week over their alleged roles in Yoon's martial law bid.

The court issued arrest warrants for the three former military officials.

Yonhap