"Will Help With Promotion" 26 Million Won Bribe... Noh Sangwon Indicted by Prosecutors for Second Time

Receiving Bribes for Arranging Promotions of Active-Duty Military Personnel

Prosecutors have filed additional charges against former Defense Security Command chief Noh Sangwon, who is currently on trial for participating in a major insurrection, accusing him of receiving money in exchange for influence peddling. Prosecutors allege that Noh received 20 million won in cash and 6 million won in department store gift certificates from active-duty military personnel in return for arranging promotions. The prosecution has consolidated this case with the ongoing insurrection trial at the Seoul Central District Court.

On May 16, the Special Investigation Headquarters for Martial Law (headed by Park Sehyun) stated that Noh, around August to September of last year, demanded money from a colonel, promising to help him get promoted to brigadier general, and received 15 million won in cash and department store gift certificates worth 6 million won. In October of the same year, he also demanded money from a brigadier general, promising to help him get promoted to major general. Noh received 5 million won in cash from this individual as well.

According to the prosecution's investigation, Noh exploited his connections with those involved in military personnel affairs to extort money and valuables. The prosecution stated, "After the case was transferred from the police, we thoroughly investigated the source of the funds provided for the influence peddling, the usage of the gift certificates, the individuals who used and provided the gift certificates, and other people involved in the personnel requests," adding, "We will do our utmost to maintain the prosecution so that a sentence commensurate with the crime can be imposed."

Meanwhile, Noh, now a civilian, previously served as the chief of the Defense Security Command during the Park Geunhye administration. He was indicted and detained in January after being found to have assisted former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun, his senior at the Korea Military Academy, in pre-planning martial law. He is suspected of being deeply involved in the overall planning of martial law, including instructing current Defense Security Command officers to select personnel for martial law duties from mid-October last year.