Cheong Wa Dae unveils detailed martial law documents

South Korea’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae revealed Friday documents and detailed plans related to the martial law proposal from the Defense Security Command (DSC), which reportedly came in the wake of protest rallies and candlelight vigils that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye in March 2017.

The proposal apparently included a proclamation of an emergency martial law and a declaration statement; plans to bring total control over the media by censoring news articles; measures to prevent parliament from lifting the martial law; and plans to deploy troops to critical facilities and areas where mass rallies are expected.

According to the Cheong Wa Dae, the proposal also suggested the head of the National Intelligence Service be subject to leadership of the top military commander under its proposed martial law. Plans to make the lawmakers of the then-ruling Liberty Korea Party to not attend the vote to prevent parliament from lifting the martial law and to arrest opposition lawmakers who took part in the protest rallies against forme President Park were also included. Friday’s disclosure of the documents has been made at an order from President Moon Jae-in.

With detailed implementation plans revealed following the DSC documents, then-DSC Commander Cho Hyun-cheon as well as Jang Jun-kyu, Chief of Staff for the Army, Han Min-goo, former Defense Minister, and Kim Kwan-jin, former chief of the National Security Office, are expected to be subject to an ongoing special investigation. An official from the military said Friday that the materials were apparently prepared as “reference resources for the documents related to the martial law.”


Sang-Jun Han alwaysj@donga.com · Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com