The rebellion special counsel decided to take over the cases of key military generals being tried in a Court-martial on charges of engaging in important duties related to insurrection. As the special counsel begins procedures to assume the cases that the military prosecution has been maintaining, the trials will move to civilian courts.
On the 24th, the rebellion special counsel said it requested the Ministry of National Defense to transfer the cases of former Defense Security Command chief Yeo In-hyeong, former Army Special Warfare Command chief Gwak Jong-geun, and former Army Capital Defense Command chief Lee Jin-woo, for which the military prosecution is maintaining indictments. Transfer is the procedure of handing over a case by changing the indictment-maintaining authority from the military prosecution to the special counsel.
Under the special counsel act, the special counsel can request the transfer of cases in which the military prosecution is maintaining indictments. The Ministry of National Defense prosecution unit decided the same day to transfer the cases to the rebellion special counsel and asked the Central Regional Court-martial to cooperate in moving the cases.
The Court-martial also approved the Ministry of National Defense prosecution unit's request to transfer Yeo, the former commander, and others from the Capital Defense Command to the Seoul Detention Center. Accordingly, the trials of Yeo and others are expected to proceed at the Seoul Central District Court.
It is known that the rebellion special counsel exercised its transfer request authority preemptively, taking into account that the Ministry of National Defense decided on disciplinary actions against military personnel involved in the Dec. 3 emergency martial law situation. If they become civilians through dismissal or removal, trials in a Court-martial become difficult, and cases may scatter to civilian courts with jurisdiction over their addresses, which could increase the physical burden of maintaining indictments.
Regarding the case of former Intelligence Command chief Mun Sang-ho, the rebellion special counsel requested transfer after the detention review on additional charges is completed, considering the possibility that the detention period could expire on Jan. 4. It is interpreted as reflecting concern that the detention period could expire while time is taken to set a new detention review date at the Central District Court.
The detention hearing for former commander Mun will be held at 2 p.m. on the 30th at the Court-martial.