South Korea Arrests Former Deputy Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo Over Martial Law Justification Messages

The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant on July 10 for Kim Tae-hyo, former first deputy director of the presidential National Security Office, citing risk of evidence destruction . Special counsel Kwon Chang-young's team alleges Kim, acting through diplomatic channels, told the United States and other allied nations immediately after the December 3 martial law declaration that the move was "for the defense of liberal democracy" and a lawful "political demonstration within the framework of the Constitution" . Kim acknowledged taking a call from then-US Ambassador Philip Goldberg about an hour after the declaration but said he told the ambassador to "watch the situation together" . The special counsel team believes former President Yoon Suk-yeol directed Kim and former National Security Office Director Shin Won-sik to explain the martial law declaration to allies, and is separately probing whether former NIS Director Cho Tae-yong and former NIS first deputy director Hong Jang-won arranged for the CIA to receive similar justification material . Financial News reported the special counsel did not seek a warrant for Shin, judging his involvement comparatively minor .