Ex-spy chief attends arrest hearing over alleged martial law involvement
Published: 11 Nov. 2025, 16:55
![Cho Tae-yong, a former chief of the National Intelligence Service, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 11, to attend his arrest warrant hearing. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/11/90bf5a92-793b-4b3e-94f0-77431fd8182a.jpg)
Cho Tae-yong, a former chief of the National Intelligence Service, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 11, to attend his arrest warrant hearing. [YONHAP]
Cho Tae-yong, a former chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), attended a court hearing Tuesday ahead of its decision on whether to issue a warrant to arrest him on multiple charges, including alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law imposition.
The hearing was held at the Seoul Central District Court after special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team sought the warrant last week on charges of NIS law violations, dereliction of duty, perjury, destruction of evidence, creation of false official documents and false testimony at parliament, which are all related to the Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
Former NIS chief Cho, who was known as a trusted confidant of Yoon, is accused of being involved in the entire situation before and after martial law.
The special counsel team suspects that Cho neglected his duties by failing to report the martial law plan to the National Assembly before Yoon's televised address to the nation.
He is also accused of failing to report to the National Assembly after receiving a report that martial law troops were out to detain then opposition leader Lee Jae Myung and then ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon.
The NIS Act obliges its director to report to the National Assembly, as well as to the president, if a situation that has a significant impact on national security arises.
In addition, the special counsel team believes Cho falsely testified at the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court by claiming that he did not see the martial law decree or other relevant documents at the presidential office and that he did not witness Cabinet members receiving the documents.
CCTV footage later showed Cabinet members receiving what appeared to be such documents at the presidential office, with Cho taking one of the documents.
Special counsel prosecutors reportedly emphasized the necessity of detention through 151 PowerPoint presentation pages and other means, whereas Cho denied all charges. He reportedly said he felt sorry for failing to assist the former president well.
The hearing lasted about four hours, including breaks, and ended at 2:05 p.m.
Cho was then sent to the Seoul Detention Center to await the court's decision, which is expected to be released late Tuesday night.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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