The special counsel investigating the insurrection case explained that former President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law on the night of Dec. 3 last year "appears to have used the turbulent period after the presidential election and before the (new president's) inauguration to block U.S. involvement."
Park Ji-young, deputy special counsel of the special counsel investigating the insurrection case, said this on the morning of the 15th at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after announcing the investigation results on insurrection and treason charges related to the Dec. 3 martial law, adding, "It is difficult to say definitively."
Park said, "If you look at the notebook of former Defense Intelligence Agency Director Noh Sang-won, there are mentions of U.S. cooperation and prior notice to the U.S.," and "Cho Tae-yong, the (then) National Intelligence Service director, was scheduled to depart to meet the CIA director, and the meeting was set for Dec. 5."
He went on to say, "The October Restoration (under the Park Chung-hee regime in 1972) also took place during a U.S. presidential election." However, he explained, "We did not find any trace of shamanistic influence (in selecting the date for martial law) as rumored."
The U.S. presidential election last year was held on Nov. 5. Republican candidate Donald Trump faced Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, and President Trump won. President Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20 this year.
The United States said it had not been informed in advance after the martial law declaration. Then-U.S. President Joe Biden, when asked by reporters on Dec. 3 last year (local time), said he had "just been briefed" on the martial law that occurred in Korea. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at the time, "We were not notified in advance of President Yoon's announcement."