There is growing curiosity about the question, "Why Lotteria?" after police announced that former and current intelligence commanders met at a Lotteria store two days before the Dec. 3 martial law declaration to discuss the situation. The idea that high-level secretive conversations like "martial law preparation" and "securing the election commission server" occurred in an open space without table partitions is hard to accept. Even the police investigating this case have not provided a separate answer to the question, "Why Lotteria?"
◇ Lotteria store in Ansan, located near intelligence headquarters
The Lotteria store where former intelligence commander No Sang-won and current commander Moon Sang-ho met on the 1st is located in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. It is said that two active-duty colonels from the intelligence agency were also present at the meeting between the current and former commanders.
Intelligence headquarters are known to be situated in Anyang, adjacent to Ansan. It is estimated to take about 30 minutes by car from the intelligence headquarters to the Lotteria store. A person with experience in military investigation agencies, identified as A, noted, "Since intelligence commanders find it difficult to leave their units for extended periods, they might have met near the headquarters."
The Lotteria store where the former and current intelligence commanders met has good transportation and parking conditions. It is 250 meters from the subway station and can be reached in four minutes on foot. There is a public parking lot opposite the store, allowing visitors to drive, park, and walk to the store. A lawyer who used to be a prosecutor stated, "Just because a meeting requires confidentiality doesn't mean it always takes place in a secluded room," adding, "Meeting naturally in a bustling area could potentially avoid drawing attention."
◇ Lotteria store featured in the Unified Progressive Party case
The Lotteria store where the former and current intelligence commanders met reportedly allows visibility inside through glass walls and lacks partitions between tables, making it an area where anyone can observe and overhear adjacent conversations. However, due to the nature of fast-food restaurants, the opposite may also be true. A man in his 30s, identified as B, remarked, "In a hamburger restaurant, patrons are usually busy finishing their meals quickly, and they are not interested in or able to hear what others are saying," recalling, "I remember reading an article about scammers discussing their plans in fast-food restaurants."
A Lotteria store also appeared in the past trial involving the Unified Progressive Party’s conspiracy charges. A recording file submitted to the court by a whistleblower to the National Intelligence Service was played, reportedly capturing conversations of the defendants at the Lotteria store. However, the recording was evaluated as difficult to understand due to background noise, voices of other nearby patrons, and store music.
◇ Netizens urge Lotteria to release a 'martial law set'
The Lotteria in question has been flooded with reviews from netizens. Until the 16th of this year, only seven reviews had been posted for this store. However, after the news broke on the 17th about the former and current intelligence commanders meeting there, over 100 new reviews have been added. The reviews predominantly contain comments such as “Release a martial law set or a conspiracy set,” “A good place for scheming,” and “How delicious must it be to discuss martial law there?” Some netizens have also engaged in "star rating attacks" by giving one out of five stars.