Lee Eun-woo, former head of Korea TV (KTV), who is accused of inciting insurrection by repeatedly airing news asserting the legitimacy of the Dec. 3 emergency martial law, now faces a decision on whether to be detained.
Lee Jong-rok, Director General judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, has been holding a pretrial detention hearing (substantive review of the warrant) for the former head starting at 10 a.m. on the charge of inciting insurrection.
The former head arrived at the court at about 9:16 a.m. She headed to the courtroom without answering reporters' questions.
The former head is accused of repeatedly and intensively broadcasting news asserting the legitimacy of the insurrection—including martial law and proclamations—from immediately after former President Yoon Suk-yeol declared emergency martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, through the 13th of the same month, and of blocking and deleting news critical of martial law.
The second comprehensive special counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young, which requested the arrest warrant for the former head, detected indications that the former head defended insurrection forces even after martial law was lifted, opened an investigation, and sought the warrant on the 18th. It is the first securing of a suspect in the comprehensive special counsel launched in February.
Previously, the insurrection special counsel under Cho Eun-suk also indicted the former head without detention in December last year on a charge of abuse of authority, alleging she ordered the deletion of broadcast captions covering statements by politicians who pointed out unconstitutionality and illegality immediately after the declaration of martial law. The first-instance verdict is scheduled for the 26th of next month.
However, at that time the insurrection special counsel declined to indict on the charge of inciting insurrection against the former head, citing that the conduct occurred after martial law was lifted and that excessive punishment could chill press freedom.