Former Defense Intelligence Command Chief Noh Sang-won (Yonhap)
Former Defense Intelligence Command Chief Noh Sang-won (Yonhap)

Noh Sang-won, the former chief of the Defense Intelligence Command, has become a central figure in the investigation into the brief martial law declaration on Dec. 3, following his arrest Tuesday.

Evidence points to Noh as one of the masterminds behind the plan for President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree.

Police also found Noh's notebook detailing plans for implementing a martial law state, which suggests that Noh even devised a scheme to provoke North Korea as a means of justifying President Yoon’s imposition of martial law.

Investigators allege that Noh, despite his civilian status, conspired with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and other DIC officials to orchestrate the martial law plan.

Noh, who was chief of the DIC during the Park Geun-hye administration in 2016, was dishonorably discharged from the military in 2018 following a conviction for sexual assault.

In 2018, while serving as the principal of the Army Intelligence School, Noh received an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted of forcibly placing a female cadet on his lap and making inappropriate physical contact.

Since being discharged from the military, Noh operated a fortunetelling business from his home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in 2019 and worked as a spiritual consultant.

Noh's notebook

What has made Noh even more notorious is a 60-page notebook seized by police on Dec. 15.

On Monday, authorities revealed they had obtained the notebook during a search and seizure operation at Noh’s residence. It reportedly contains written notes suspected to be connected to the declaration of martial law.

Though police recognize that entries in Noh’s notebook consist of “fragmented words that could be misinterpreted if taken out of context,” it contained expressions such as “blocking the National Assembly” and referred to specific politicians, journalists, religious figures, unionized workers, judges and public servants as “targets to capture.”

Police officials added that details of plans to provoke North Korea into an attack at the Northern Limit Line were also included in the notebook, though whether such actions were actually carried out to induce an attack from Pyongyang has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

The notes, however, are consistent with the opposing Democratic Party of Korea’s claims that the former defense minister had attempted to elicit military action from North Korea to justify the short-lived martial law.

Burger meeting

Noh is specifically accused of discussing martial law operation plans at a fast-food restaurant in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on Dec. 1 and 3, according to the Korean National Police Agency’s National Office of Investigation.

Police have obtained surveillance footage of four men, including Noh, Maj. Gen. Moon Sang-ho and Brig. Gen. Koo Sam-hoe talking while eating burgers at the restaurant.

Moon, who was the most recent chief of the DIC before his suspension on Dec. 10, is suspected of sending troops in his command to the National Election Commission after martial law was declared by Yoon. Koo, on the other hand, is accused of attempting to mobilize a tank unit when martial law was imposed.

Moon was arrested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on Dec. 20, while Koo was summoned by the police on Wednesday for questioning.

The CIO added that Moon's case would be transferred to the military prosecution on Wednesday, in accordance with the agreement reached by the CIO and prosecution on Dec. 18. Though Moon's detention period was initially set at 10 days, the prosecution and CIO had agreed at the time to transfer cases related to suspects involved in the martial law incident to prosecutors when applying for an extension of a suspect's detention period to the court.

With the High Military Court's acceptance on Wednesday, Moon's detention period has been extended to Jan. 6. Cases related to Moon were to be transferred to the military prosecution on Wednesday, though the transfer had not been made as of press time.

Infamously known as the “Hamburger meeting,” plans to seize control of the NEC were discussed in the meeting held prior to the imposition of martial law, according to police.

Authorities also suspect that Noh discussed plans to organize a private group that included some 60 military personnel to take control of the NEC’s computer servers. Under South Korean law, the creation of private groups involving active-duty military personnel is prohibited and restricted.


lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com