Led the Formation of the "2nd Investigation Unit"
for the Mission to Occupy and Arrest at the National Election Commission
Former Intelligence Commanding General Noh Sang-won, who is accused of conspiring the martial law in advance and ordering the occupation of the National Election Commission while in civilian status during the December 3 emergency martial law incident, has been brought to trial.
Former Intelligence Command Chief Noh Sang-won, who is accused of premeditating the emergency martial law on December 3 and drafting the proclamation, is being transferred to the prosecution by a transport vehicle at the Seoul Western Police Station in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, on the 24th of last month. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung
The Special Investigation Headquarters for Emergency Martial Law of the Prosecutor's Office (Headed by Park Se-hyun, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office) announced on the 10th that Noh was arrested and indicted on charges of engaging in important duties of rebellion and abuse of authority obstructing the exercise of rights.
Noh is suspected of meeting with Intelligence Commanding General Moon Sang-ho and other intelligence officials at a fast-food restaurant in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in November last year to conspire the martial law in advance.
Noh was identified as the unofficial key figure behind the martial law incident, leading plans to establish and operate the '2nd Investigation Unit' composed of Intelligence Service agents. The 2nd Investigation Unit was reportedly assigned the role of arresting election-related personnel and transporting them to the B1 bunker of the Capital Defense Command if the National Election Commission building was occupied after the martial law declaration.
The prosecution found that Noh, along with Commander Moon and Intelligence Service Colonels Kim and Jung, selected 40 Intelligence Service agents to be assigned to the 2nd Investigation Unit and instructed the deployment of Intelligence Service forces to the National Election Commission through Commander Moon after the martial law declaration.
It was also confirmed that Noh visited the residence of former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun more than 20 times from September last year until just before the martial law declaration, and visited daily for three days from November 30 to December 3, right before the martial law.
Furthermore, the prosecution detected circumstances indicating that Noh acted as a liaison between the Intelligence Service and the Counterintelligence Command. After the martial law declaration, under the orders of Counterintelligence Commanding General Yeo In-hyung, Noh reportedly called the head of the Counterintelligence Command’s 1st Division, who was dispatched to the National Election Commission, several times saying, "There is an on-site commander here (at the National Election Commission), so when you arrive, hand over the command," and "We have secured the place, so conduct forensic analysis."
The prosecution also found that personnel assigned to the 2nd Investigation Unit, including Gu Sam-hoe, commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade, waited for operational deployment at the Pangyo Intelligence Service 100th Battalion until around 5:30 a.m. on the 4th, the day after the martial law declaration, and returned to their original units after the emergency martial law was lifted. It is known that they also conducted drills to prepare for the actual mission.
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