Searches Conducted at Lee’s Home and Office on August 8
The special investigation team on insurrection (headed by Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok) has reportedly designated Lee Seungoh, Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Army Lieutenant General), as a suspect and launched a compulsory investigation.
According to legal sources on August 11, the special investigation team recently named Lee as a suspect on charges including abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights, as well as falsification of official documents. On August 8, the team conducted searches and seizures at Lee’s residence and office, among other locations.
The special investigation team is investigating whether the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under instructions from former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun and others, forcibly pushed ahead with a drone operation over Pyongyang in order to provoke North Korea and create a pretext for declaring martial law.
During witness questioning last month, Lee reportedly testified that, acting on former Minister Kim’s orders, Drone Commander Kim Yongdae?who was on leave?carried out drone operations over Pyongyang on October 3, 9, and 10 of last year. The special investigation team is also said to have uncovered indications that additional drone operations took place around the same period.
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