Investigation Begins Into Non-Approved Plans to Impose Martial Law in South Korea

It looks like the Moon administration has found another avenue to go after their political enemies with:

A special team of military prosecutors will launch an investigation Monday into revelations that the military’s intelligence unit reviewed the possibility of imposing martial law last year in response to protests calling for then President Park Geun-hye’s ousting.

President Moon Jae-in ordered the investigation after the disclosure of a Defense Security Command (DSC) document that showed the military considered imposing martial law and mobilizing forces to quell candlelight protests against Park.

The military has since formed a special investigation team comprising about 30 prosecutors and investigators from the Navy and the Air Force. The team will complete the necessary preparations on Sunday and launch an investigation on Monday, officials said.

“We’re going to conduct a fair and thorough investigation according to law and principle,” an official said.

Those subject to the investigation are expected to include the then DSC commander, Cho Hyun-chun, then-Defense Minister Han Min-koo and Kim Kwan-jin, chief of the presidential National Security Office at the time. Then-Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and jailed former President Park Geun-hye could also face an investigation.

Incumbent Defense Minister Song Young-moon is also expected to face an investigation. Song has come under fire for doing nothing even after he was briefed about the DSC document in March this year. Some opposition lawmakers have called for his resignation.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but this issue is nothing new.  The Korean leftwing politicians disclosed planning for martial law if needed all the way back in 2016.  Now there is a document that shows that planning did occur.  South Korea has a long history of martial law during past military dictatorships which makes it a very politically sensitive issue, however it is not illegal:

Under the law, the President has the right to declare martial law when it is considered necessary to maintain public order and security. And the head of state is required immediately to inform the National Assembly of the decision with details, including concrete reasons, a scope of territory and what will be subject to the emergency law. The National Assembly has the right to ask the President to lift the law and, if the latter refuses, the Assembly can start an impeachment process.  [Korea Times]

Former President Park obviously made no decision to impose martial law so I don’t see what case the Moon administration can make that anyone in the Park administration broke the law.  They can however play this out to further discredit and embarrass political conservatives in South Korea.  It may also give them the excuse to clean house of top military leadership accusing them of plotting a coup in order to replace them with more ideologically friendly officers.  I guess we will see how this plays out.