South Korea: Military Intelligence Commander formally arrested in martial law probe
Maj. Gen. Moon Sang-ho was placed under arrest at 12:20 pm, according to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials
Maj. Gen. Moon Sang-ho (IANS)
SEOUL: The South Korea's Chief of the Defense Intelligence Command suspected of taking part in martial law operations has been formally arrested on Wednesday, an anti-corruption investigation body probing the martial law decree said.
Maj. Gen. Moon Sang-ho was placed under arrest at 12:20 pm, according to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.
Moon is suspected of sending troops in his command to the National Election Commission's office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, on December 3 after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, Yonhap news agency reported.
He is also suspected of discussing martial law operations with Noh Sang-won, a former Defense Intelligence commander, alongside two other subordinates at a burger franchise in Gyeonggi Province two days ahead of Yoon's martial law imposition.
A court hearing on whether to formally arrest Noh, the former commander, is scheduled for 3 pm. Noh has expressed his intent not to attend it.
Earlier in the day, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to appear before the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) for High-ranking Officials, defying a summons for questioning over his short-lived imposition of martial law.
Yoon had been asked by a joint investigation team made up of the CIO, the police and the Defence ministry's investigation unit to appear at the CIO's office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, on Wednesday.
Yoon faces charges of inciting an insurrection through his declaration of martial law on December 3 and has been suspended from duty pending the Constitutional Court's trial on his impeachment by the National Assembly.
Multiple attempts to deliver the summons to Yoon failed earlier this week after the presidential office refused to accept it and sent the mail back.
CIO chief Oh Dong-woon told the National Assembly's legislation committee on Tuesday that the summons was being declined 'deliberately' and that his agency would swiftly take 'lawful' steps in response.
