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New special counsel team launches investigation into martial law declaration

Published: 25 Feb. 2026, 16:52 Updated: 25 Feb. 2026, 17:03

Members of a second comprehensive special counsel team, led by special prosecutor Kwon Chang-young, third from left, clap during a plaque unveiling ceremony at its office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 25. [YONHAP]

A second group of special counsels began its investigation on Wednesday into unresolved allegations by the primary counsel against former President Yoon Suk Yeol and former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

The comprehensive special counsel will re-examine allegations that were not fully addressed by three previous special investigations, all three of which involved charges for insurrection following Yoon's martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024; for ex-first lady Kim's alleged stock manipulation and influence peddling; and for the death of a Marine in a flood disaster rescue operation in 2023, after which accusations of external pressure to limit or alter the investigation into the case surfaced.

The new comprehensive special counsel team held a plaque unveiling ceremony at its office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, on Wednesday. Special counsel Kwon Chang-young leads the team.

“The special counsel system is a sword designed to uphold the Constitution and secure trust in the criminal justice system,” Kwon said. “We will maintain political neutrality and fairness to the fullest extent possible and conduct a thorough investigation [...] guided solely by the law and evidence.”

“The three previous special counsel investigations produced significant results, but our second comprehensive counsel was launched to reflect the public's opinion that the outcomes fell short of expectations,” he added.

The team will investigate cases related to the emergency martial law declaration — including the so-called Noh Sang-won notebook, as well as allegations of foreign aggression and an attempted military coup.

Special prosecutor Kwon Chang-young attends a press conference after a plaque unveiling ceremony at the second comprehensive special counsel's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 25. [YONHAP]

The Noh Sang-won notebook refers to handwritten notes found in the pocketbook of Noh, a former chief of the Defense Intelligence Command, who helped plan the botched martial law attempt. The notes, discovered after the martial law crisis, mentioned a possible North Korean provocation near the Northern Limit Line.

The team will also examine allegations of election interference by self-proclaimed political broker Myung Tae-kyun, suspicions surrounding the relocation of the presidential residence and other matters concerning Yoon and Kim.

The earlier special counsel teams investigated these cases but did not reach any conclusions. Kwon's team plans to consult with the previous ones to discuss why their investigations were left incomplete and how Kwon's should proceed.

The plaque for a second comprehensive special counsel is seen outside the special counsel's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 25. [NEWS1]

The new comprehensive special counsel team will review the cases from square one. It plans to re-examine the details behind how Yoon came to declare emergency martial law and the preparations made in the time leading up to Dec. 3, 2024.

The investigation, however, faces criticism that it may result in overlapping probes into matters for which local courts have already given rulings against key figures, including Yoon and Kim.

For instance, the Noh Sang-won notebook was not recognized by the first-instance court ruling, posing a challenge from the beginning for the investigation of the second comprehensive special counsel.

Special prosecutor Kwon Chang-young is seen during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the second comprehensive special counsel's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 25. [YONHAP]

Lawyers Kwon Young-bin, Kim Jeong-min, Kim Ji-mi and Jin Eul-jong have been appointed assistant special prosecutors.

The team has a max quota of 251 personnel, including 15 seconded prosecutors, 100 special investigators and 130 civil servants. Necessary personnel will be assigned or hired in phases.

With the investigation period starting on Wednesday, the team plans to review records and finalize staffing before launching full-scale summons and search and seizure operations.

The primary investigation period is 90 days. It may be extended twice by 30 days each, allowing the probe to continue for up to 170 days, or through July 4.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JIN-HO [[email protected]]