Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun Detained: "Emergency Martial Law, a Warning Against Atrocities... Will Fight Until the End"

"Claims of Illegal Detention of Three Commanders"

Former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun released a message from prison, stating, "This emergency martial law contained the president's precious intention to pass on a proper country to future generations."

On the 17th, Kim issued a statement through his legal team, claiming, "This emergency martial law was intended to sound the alarm against the heinous acts equivalent to the National Assembly's disruption of the constitutional order and rebellion, and to resolve the public's suspicions regarding election fraud."

He also said, "It contained the president's precious intention to eradicate anti-state forces lurking in our society and to pass on a proper country to future generations," adding, "I am sorry for not properly fulfilling the president's and your expectations."

Kim further asserted, "Three commanders who carried out their given missions under the minister's orders in accordance with the president's will are being unlawfully detained," and "Many other subordinate soldiers are suffering due to illegal investigations."

He emphasized, "Let us fight together to the end for the future of the Republic of Korea with a patriotic spirit," and "This is just the beginning. I will also fight together until the end."

Meanwhile, Kim was arrested on the 10th on charges of engaging in important duties related to the December 3 rebellion incident and abuse of authority. Following Kim, key commanders of the martial law forces were successively detained: former Director of the Defense Security Command Yeo In-hyung on the 14th, former Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-geun and former Capital Defense Command Commander Lee Jin-woo on the 16th, and Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, who served as the martial law commander during the emergency martial law situation, on the 17th.