Securing Counterintelligence Command Documents Through Raid
Suspicions of Reports from Ye Inhyung to Kim Yonghyun to Yoon
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has launched an investigation into allegations that the Army Counterintelligence Command compiled a "blacklist" document by investigating the political inclinations of former and current military generals.
Ye Inhyung, former Commander of the ROK Army Counterintelligence Command, appeared as a witness and spoke at the 5th hearing of President Yoon Sukyeol's impeachment trial held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on February 4, 2025. Photo by Constitutional Court
According to legal sources on June 5, the CIO conducted a raid on the Counterintelligence Command's Personnel Security Office and server room on May 29. During the search and seizure, the CIO reportedly secured documents such as promotion and appointment reports for generals, intelligence reports, work guidelines, organizational charts, and personnel review drafts for retired generals from the Personnel Security Office.
The CIO has identified Ye Inhyung, former Commander of the Counterintelligence Command, as a suspect in the case, believing that he was responsible for creating the blacklist document. He is under investigation on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights.
Previously, during a raid on the Counterintelligence Command as part of an investigation into insurrection charges related to the 12·3 Martial Law, the CIO discovered some documents suspected to be blacklists and subsequently launched a full investigation. The CIO then obtained statements from multiple officials within the Counterintelligence Command indicating that, after Ye assumed command in November 2023, a blacklist was created and maintained, and documents influencing military personnel decisions were also drafted.
The related documents are reported to contain personal information, political inclinations, and assessments of how closely the generals?both active-duty Army, Navy, and Air Force officers, as well as retired generals expected to be appointed to the Ministry of National Defense or affiliated agencies?are aligned with the Democratic Party of Korea.
The CIO believes that the Counterintelligence Command has consistently reported blacklist documents since Kim Yonghyun served as Chief of the Presidential Security Service, and plans to investigate whether these documents were reported to former President Yoon Sukyeol.
Ye, the former Commander, is an alumnus of Choungam High School, like President Yoon and former Minister Kim, and is currently on trial after being indicted and detained on charges of participating in a major insurrection-related mission concerning martial law.
The CIO is expected to summon Ye for questioning as soon as the forensic analysis of the seized materials is complete.
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