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A who's who of the Dec. 3 martial law debacle: What they did, and where they stand now

Published: 03 Dec. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 13:15

CHO JUNG-WOO
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LEE SOO-JUNG
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A collage of key figures allegedly involved in the Dec. 3 martial law declaration [YUN YOUNG]

Hearings and investigations are ongoing to determine who should be held responsible for ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched imposition of martial law one year ago.

A special counsel team examining Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration has been questioning Yoon and several officials accused of involvement. Led by prosecutor Cho Eun-seok, the team was launched on June 12 after the National Assembly approved a special counsel probe, a step usually taken when concerns arise over political neutrality and fairness.

Here’s a look at some of the key figures involved in the imposition and lifting of martial law — and what has happened to them since.

Ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is under investigation by a special counsel over the Dec. 3 martial law case, appears at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul on July 9 for his second pretrial detention hearing. [NEWS1]

1. Yoon Suk Yeol, the ousted president

Yoon Suk Yeol unexpectedly declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec. 3 through a televised address from the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul.

He said the measure was necessary to protect the nation from “the threats of North Korean communist forces” and to “eradicate unscrupulous pro-Pyongyang anti-state forces.”

After the announcement, police blocked access to the National Assembly, and military personnel entered the building, while hundreds of protesters gathered outside to denounce the decree.

Three hours later, the National Assembly passed a resolution calling for the emergency decree to be lifted. Six hours after issuing it, Yoon rescinded the declaration.

The failed attempt made him the first sitting president in South Korean history to be arrested and indicted while still in office, following his impeachment by the parliament.

Yoon now faces five criminal trials. The charges include leading an insurrection, as well as obstructing the work of investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) and police officers who attempted to arrest him at the presidential compound.

Yoon, who took office on May 10, 2022, was removed after the Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment on April 4. He has been in custody since July 10, following a four-month release that ended on March 8.

Prosecutors have also charged him with abuse of power for allegedly interfering in the investigation into a Marine’s death and for appointing former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia — a move they say was intended to help Lee avoid questioning in the Marine death case.

Yoon is further accused of jeopardizing national security by attempting to provoke North Korea in order to justify the declaration of martial law.

Among the cases against him, the insurrection trial has advanced the furthest. The first hearing was held in April, and the final session is scheduled for January, with a ruling expected in February. The special counsel team on Monday sought an extension of his detention, currently set to expire on Jan. 23. The court will review the request on Dec. 23.

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Aug. 27 to attend his pretrial detention. [NEWS1]

2. Han Duck-soo, former prime minister

Han Duck-soo was indicted on charges of abetting an insurrection leader, serving “essential roles” in insurrection, forgery of governmental papers and perjury on Aug. 29.

Prosecutors sought a 15-year prison sentence against him last Wednesday.

In a final court hearing, Han publicly apologized for “the chaos and pain that South Koreans have experienced” due to martial law. He noted that he did not realize the martial law declaration was equivalent to a riot intended to violate the Constitution. Han added that he later attempted to prevent Yoon from imposing martial law after learning of his intention.

He is also suspected of signing and arbitrarily discarding a newly written martial law declaration on Dec. 5 — two days after the actual imposition and a day after its withdrawal — along with Yoon and ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. The document was allegedly prepared to replace the original declaration, which had the legal defect of missing the signatures of Cabinet members.

Han acknowledged during his Nov. 24 trial that he committed perjury when he claimed he was unaware of the second declaration document during Yoon’s impeachment proceedings in February.

About two weeks after Yoon’s parliamentary impeachment, Han was also impeached by the National Assembly. He returned as acting president on March 24, after the Constitutional Court ruled that his impeachment was unconstitutional. On May 1, he resigned as prime minister to run for president. But his bid quickly faltered as the conservative People Power Party (PPP) chose former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo as its nominee instead.

The Seoul Central District Court is expected to rule on Han's case in late January. Han is likely to be the first defendant to receive a verdict among those involved in imposing martial law.

Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attends a Cabinet meeting held at the government complex in central Seoul on Dec. 3. [YONHAP]

3. Kim Yong-hyun, former defense minister

Kim Yong-hyun was indicted and detained on Dec. 27 last year on charges of insurrection and abuse of power. He was the first among those tied to the martial law declaration to face trial.

Kim is accused of suggesting the declaration to Yoon and of ordering military commanders to deploy troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission (NEC). He is considered the central defendant who allegedly ordered the arrest of politicians.

Prosecutors say he discussed imposing emergency martial law with Yoon multiple times beginning in March and had prepared for its execution by November last year. He is also accused of planning to establish a separate emergency legislative body after dismantling the existing parliament.

After the special counsel probe began in June, Kim was additionally indicted on charges of obstructing official duties, undermining national security, drafting and executing false official documents and false orders.

As his hearings proceed, Kim has denied the charges, arguing that his orders to the military and police constituted “the legitimate execution of martial law duties to maintain order."

Cho Tae-yong, a former chief of the National Intelligence Service, leaves the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 11 after attending his arrest warrant hearing. [JANG JIN-YOUNG]

4. Cho Tae-yong, former National Intelligence Service chief

Cho Tae-yong was indicted by a special counsel team on Friday on charges of occupational negligence for his failure to notify the National Assembly of the imposition of martial law despite his knowledge of it before Yoon's announcement.

Prosecutors believed that Cho did not inform the parliament of the martial law forces’ operations to capture anti-Yoon lawmakers — an action that violated his statutory duty. He was also accused of perjury for giving a false statement during Yoon’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court after he denied receiving instructions about martial law.

Cho allegedly breached his duty to maintain political neutrality by leaking surveillance camera footage of Hong Jang-won, then-National Intelligence Service (NIS)’s first deputy director, to the conservative PPP, which is aligned with Yoon. He reportedly had phone calls with three PPP lawmakers a day before handing over the footage. He was also accused of tampering with evidence by meddling in the deletion of records on Yoon's and Hong's secure phones.

Cho was arrested on Nov. 12 and has been in custody since then.

Former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min speaks as a witness at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Feb. 11, during the seventh hearing of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December. [YONHAP]

5. Lee Sang-min, former interior minister

Lee Sang-min has been indicted on charges of power abuse, perjury and serving an “essential role” in the insurrection tied to Yoon’s botched martial law declaration. He has been in custody since Aug. 1.

Lee reportedly ordered fire authorities to cut electricity and water supplies to JTBC and MBC — two broadcasters known to report unfavorably on Yoon. However, Lee’s attorney defended that those measures were safety precautions, and not an attempt at media control.

Lee denied all accusations. He said he had never conspired with Yoon to impose martial law and had opposed it. According to his statement, he first learned about martial law at the Yongsan presidential office on the night of Dec. 3.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Lee’s uncooperative attitude caught attention. He refused to take an oath as a court witness in a separate trial against former Prime Minister Han on Nov. 19. His misbehavior resulted in a 500,000 won ($341) fine.

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, center, answers questions from the press before entering the office of special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team on Aug. 7 to be questioned as a witness about former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law imposition on Dec. 3, 2024. [NEWS1]

6. Woo Won-shik, National Assembly speaker

Woo Won-shik, the National Assembly speaker at the time of the martial law and still in office today, declared it “null and void” after lawmakers voted to lift it, playing a key role as a guardian of the Constitution.

In the early hours of the martial law imposition, Woo took on a figurehead leadership role, urging lawmakers at an emergency press conference to gather at the National Assembly “immediately” to vote to lift the martial law. He reassured the public that the Assembly would respond through “constitutional procedures.”

Despite being a speaker, Woo was barred from entering the National Assembly compound due to a police restriction on entry. He had to climb up the fence to enter the compound before the press conference.

Woo presided over a plenary session that lifted martial law at the dawn of Dec. 4 and declared the passage of a resolution urging an end of martial law. As Yoon did not announce the lifting of martial law, Woo once again delivered the parliamentary decision to Yoon at 4 a.m.

The speaker likewise presided over a plenary session on Dec. 14 that impeached Yoon from his presidency.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok speaks during a meeting at the government complex in central Seoul on May 1. [NEWS1]

7. Choi Sang-mok, former finance minister

Choi Sang-mok, who served as an acting president for 87 days after ex-Prime Minister Han was impeached in late December and reinstated in March, is a witness who claimed to have begged Yoon not to declare martial law.

Choi stated that he went after Yoon and told him to “reconsider” on the night of Dec. 3 after Yoon informed the Cabinet of his intent to impose martial law.

In a recent legal proceeding against Han on Nov. 17, Choi said he “feels sorry” for failing to prevent the imposition of martial law as a Cabinet member.

Yet, Choi testified that he did not see Han publicly objecting to Yoon’s plan — in contrast to Han’s claim that he did so.

Choi has not been indicted on any criminal charges.

National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Ji-ho speaks during a parliamentary committee meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 9. [YONHAP]

8. Cho Ji-ho, National Police Agency chief

Cho Ji-ho was indicted on Jan. 8 on charges of undertaking “essential roles” in insurrection as he allegedly mobilized riot police forces to block access to the National Assembly.

Cho is accused of ordering the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to deploy its officers on the night of Dec. 3 in accordance with the martial law decree. He defended his remarks by saying that he “followed the manual” in the situation because it was challenging to judge the legal validity of the martial law decree at the time.

Cho argued that he refused to provide personnel support for operations to apprehend lawmakers. He said he thought Yoon’s order to capture politicians was “illegitimate,” arguing that his decision contributed to the swift end of the martial law imposition.

After his arrest on Dec. 14 last year, Cho was granted bail in January due to blood cancer.

Last December, Cho was impeached by the parliament for aiding Yoon in declaring martial law. The Constitutional Court is currently reviewing his case.

Former Defense Counterintelligence Command Commander Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung attends an intelligence committee meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 7. [YONHAP]

9. Yeo In-hyung, former Defense Counterintelligence Command chief

Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung was arrested in December last year for his alleged involvement in Yoon’s martial law declaration. He is currently on trial in a military court, accused of colluding in advance of the declaration and of ordering the arrest of some 10 key figures, including President Lee Jae Myung and former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, after receiving a list from former Defense Minister Kim. His detention was extended in June and is set to expire in late December.

Yeo is also accused of ordering the deployment of the martial law command to the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, and to the NEC compound in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. In addition, prosecutors say he committed perjury during Yoon’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court and in proceedings at the military court.

The special counsel team additionally indicted Yeo on Nov. 10 on charges of undermining national security and abusing authority.

Former Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-keun speaks during a parliamentary special committee hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Feb. 4, as part of the investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged insurrection charges. [YONHAP]

10. Kwak Jong-keun, former Army Special Warfare Command chief

Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, the former head of the Army Special Warfare Command, has been indicted and held in custody for his alleged involvement in Yoon’s martial law declaration and abuse of power on Jan. 3.

He is accused of participating in the declaration of martial law and of sending troops to the National Assembly and the NEC compound. The military court, however, released him on bail in April. Kwak acknowledged the charges against him.

During parliamentary questioning and Yoon’s impeachment trials, Kwak testified that the ousted president had ordered him through a secret phone call to drag lawmakers out of the National Assembly once martial law was declared.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, left, who was named martial law commander, speaks during a parliamentary hearing at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Dec. 5, 2024. [NEWS1]

11. Park An-su, former Army chief of staff

Gen. Park An-su, who also served as the martial law commander during the brief imposition on Dec. 3 last year, has been indicted and detained for his alleged involvement in the martial law operations and abuse of power on Jan. 3. In June, he was released on conditional bail.

Park is accused of signing and declaring the martial law decree, actions prosecutors say are not only unconstitutional but amount to subversion of the Constitution. He is also accused of receiving orders from Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim after the declaration to restrict access to the National Assembly and telling National Police Agency Chief Cho to deploy officers to assist in enforcing martial law.

He completed his term and retired on Oct. 31, and his case has since been transferred from the military court system to the Daejeon District Court.

Lt. Gen. Lee Jin-woo, former Capital Defense Command chief, speaks at a parliamentary hearing on his alleged role in the Dec. 3 martial law declaration at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Jan. 14. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]

12. Lee Jin-woo, former Capital Defense Command chief

Lt. Gen. Lee Jin-woo was indicted and detained on Dec. 31 for his alleged involvement in the martial law operation, specifically for blocking the National Assembly and sending troops to prevent lawmakers from lifting the decree. He was released on conditional bail in June.

Lee testified that he had been unaware of the martial law plan and learned of the declaration only through a television broadcast. During his trial on May 20, he said that Yoon had ordered him, through a secure phone, to “kick and smash the doors to drag out” people at the National Assembly, suggesting that four soldiers carry out each removal. It was the first time in nearly six months that he had formally testified to receiving orders from Yoon.

Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, attends ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment hearing at the Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 20. [NEWS1]

13. Hong Jang-won, former NIS first deputy director

Hong Jang-won emerged as a major figure in the martial law saga after he exposed an alleged presidential order to crack down on anti-Yoon figures.

On the night of Dec. 3, Hong reportedly received a call from Yoon, who promised to grant the NIS the authority to conduct a counterespionage investigation and ordered him to aid the military’s Defense Intelligence Command in its operations.

In a following call with ex-Defense Counterintelligence Commander Yeo, he said heard the names of those on the wanted list of politicians, including incumbent President Lee and National Assembly Speaker Woo. He believed the order was for a “self-coup.”

During trials, Yoon criticized Hong for distorting the narrative and faking evidence. Yet Hong defended himself, saying he had no reason to lie.

Presidential Security Service chief Park Chong-jun speaks to reporters as he appears for police questioning at the National Office of Investigation in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Jan. 10 for allegedly obstructing the attempted arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. [NEWS1]

14. Park Chong-jun, former Presidential Security Service chief

Park Chong-jun is accused of obstructing an attempt by police and prosecutors at the CIO to arrest Yoon in January. He is also accused of deleting a call record made through a secure phone between Yoon; Hong, the former NIS deputy director; and Kim Bong-sik, the former Seoul police chief.

At one of Yoon's trials on Nov. 4, Park said that Yoon had told him during the arrest attempt that the CIO’s actions were “entirely illegal” and that the investigative procedure was inappropriate.

Park has been booked by the police on charges of obstructing special official duties and insurrection. On Jan. 10, he resigned from his post before appearing for his first round of police questioning.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]