Ye Inhyung, former Commander of the Republic of Korea Army Counterintelligence Command, is attending the full meeting of the Intelligence Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 7th. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
Ye Inhyung, former Commander of the Republic of Korea Army Counterintelligence Command, expressed deep regret during the trial held on the 8th for having deployed his subordinates to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission during the 12·3 Martial Law, following the orders of former President Yoon Sukyeol and former Minister of National Defense Kim Yonghyun.
Ye, who is on trial on charges including participation in important duties related to insurrection, shared these feelings as he announced his decision to forgo witness examination during the hearing at the Central District Military Court in Yongsan, Seoul, on this day.
Mentioning the issuance of an additional arrest warrant, he said, "I have come to realize anew what the will of the people and the court truly is," and added, "I humbly accept this outcome, and I have concluded that further witness examinations regarding the facts are now meaningless."
Ye stated, "If I could go back to that time, I deeply regret not having made the resolute decision to take off my uniform and remove myself from the chain of command," but also recalled, "At that time, with the declaration of martial law still uncertain, it was not easy as a career soldier to simply resign without hesitation."
He continued, "Looking back now, I truly have great regrets," and emphasized, "I have never thought that my decisions and actions after the declaration of martial law freed me from responsibility, and I still believe that I must take full responsibility for what I have done."
Nonetheless, he requested, "I hope the court will wisely determine whether my claim that I neither supported nor prepared for martial law in advance is true."
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