Police in South Korea conducted a raid on a special counsel office to gather data related to detention space following the martial law declaration in December 2024. The Korean National Police Agency’s special investigation team visited the office of special counsel Cho Eun-suk in Seoul to retrieve documents seized earlier during a raid on former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae. This action is part of the probe into Shin Yong-hae, the former head of the Korea Correctional Service, who allegedly played a role in assessing detention capacity during martial law.
It was revealed that Shin Yong-hae, under the direction of Park Sung-jae, evaluated the detention space at correctional facilities in the capital area during the martial law period. Shin reportedly informed Park that an additional 3,600 detainees could be accommodated. The special counsel team recently accused Shin of instructing his subordinates to prepare a document outlining ways to adjust the inmate count and consider parole to create more detention space. Park was indicted on martial law-related charges, and Shin’s case was handed over to the police for further investigation.
In a related development, around 10 military officers suspected of involvement in the failed martial law attempt by former President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024 will be investigated by a defense special investigative unit, as announced by the defense ministry. These officers were allegedly connected to setting up a martial law situation room at the Joint Chiefs of Staff and deploying defense intelligence command personnel to the National Election Commission. A ministerial subcommittee will refer these individuals for probe to the defense special investigative unit, with potential disciplinary actions based on the investigation outcomes.
The defense ministry is actively reviewing the results of its independent audit into the martial law involvement and referring officials for further investigation as part of efforts to reform the military post-martial law. Disciplinary committees have been convened to assess actions against officials linked to the martial law attempt, including those who departed for Seoul from the Army headquarters after the National Assembly voted to lift the martial law decree.
