Police: "The term 'shoot to kill' in Noh Sang-won's notebook on 'martial law planning' aligns with the facts"

Politicians, Journalists, Judges Targeted for Collection
Explicit Mention of Provoking North Korean Attack in NLL

It has been identified that the notebook of former Commander of the Republic of Korea Army Intelligence Command, Noh Sang-won, who is suspected of planning the 'December 3 Emergency Martial Law Incident,' contains the expression 'shoot to kill.'

It has been confirmed that the notebook of former Commander of the Republic of Korea Army Intelligence Command, No Sang-won, who is suspected of planning the 'December 3 Emergency Martial Law Incident,' contains the expression 'shoot to kill.' Photo by JTBC

On the 23rd, Woo Jong-su, head of the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters, responded "It corresponds to the facts" when Rep. Yoon Geon-young of the Democratic Party asked at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee plenary session whether the notebook of former Commander Noh included the expression 'shoot to kill' regarding politicians, journalists, religious figures, and others as targets for collection.

Regarding whether there was also an expression about 'omul balloons,' Director Woo stated, "I recall that there was." The police explained that former Commander Noh's notebook is palm-sized, about 60 to 70 pages long, with many entries related to martial law.

The Special Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters announced that the notebook written by former Commander Noh contained the phrase 'Provoking North Korea's attack on the Northern Limit Line (NLL).' A Special Investigation Unit official explained, "It listed politicians, journalists, religious figures, labor unions, judges, and public officials as targets for collection," adding, "Some names were explicitly mentioned, and the term 'collection' is interpreted as meaning arrest. Additionally, methods of detention and processing, as well as blocking the National Assembly, were mentioned."

Yoon Geon-young, Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

A Special Investigation Unit official said about former Commander Noh's private organization, 'Intelligence Command Investigation Unit 2,' "We took statements from attendees at the Lotteria meeting. It is divided into three departments with about 60 members from the unit chief to the personnel. It has been confirmed that personnel appointment documents were even prepared," adding, "We believe Investigation Unit 2 was formed under the Joint Investigation Headquarters. We understand that their first order was to secure the Election Commission's server." Regarding the investigation of former Commander Noh, the official said, "He has hardly given any statements himself," and "We are proving the case based on testimonies from those around him."

The Special Investigation Unit revealed that they sent official letters requesting the preservation of the secure phone (bi-hwa phone) servers to the Presidential Office and the Presidential Security Service. No communication warrants have been applied for regarding President Yoon's secure phone to date. The secure phone is issued and managed by the Security Service. It is a secure mobile phone equipped with programs to prevent wiretapping and call recording, and the related server data is a key clue in the investigation. A Special Investigation Unit official said about the secure phones of Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho and Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-sik, "Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho inherited his phone upon taking office," and "Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-sik received his phone after the November report on the President's golf course for security reasons but returned it after the martial law declaration."

The Special Investigation Unit has notified Rep. Chu Kyung-ho of the People Power Party, who is charged with treason, to appear on the 26th. Rep. Chu, who was the floor leader of the People Power Party at the time of the martial law declaration, is suspected of requesting Speaker Woo Won-shik to delay the vote to lift martial law on the day of the declaration or convening an emergency party meeting at the party headquarters to obstruct his party members' vote to lift martial law.

The Special Investigation Unit applied for a seizure warrant for CCTV footage from the presidential residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and obtained it on the 19th. A Special Investigation Unit official said, "It is not yet confirmed whether the warrant has been executed," and "There has been no contact yet regarding the investigation of former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun." Police Commissioner Jo Ji-ho and Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-sik were investigated to have met President Yoon at the presidential residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, around 7 p.m. on the 3rd, just before the martial law announcement, where they received an A4 document listing 'control agencies' and others.