Ex-spy chief appears for questioning in special counsel probe into martial law

Cho Tae-yong, a former chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), appeared for questioning Wednesday in a special counsel investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law imposition.

Cho arrived at the office of special counsel Cho Eun-suk in southern Seoul at around 9 a.m. as a suspect before being grilled about his activities before and after the Dec. 3 martial law declaration and what instructions he received from Yoon at that time.

Former NIS chief Cho, who was known as a trusted confidant of Yoon, is accused of being involved in the entire situation before and after martial law. He was reportedly summoned to the presidential office at around 9 p.m. on Dec. 3 and informed that Yoon was planning to declare martial law.

Cho was then seen on CCTV putting what was presumed to be a document related to martial law into his suit pocket as he left the presidential office.

The special counsel team suspects that Cho neglected his duties by failing to report the martial law plan to the National Assembly before Yoon’s televised address to the nation. The NIS Act obliges its director to report to the National Assembly, as well as to the president, if a situation that has a significant impact on national security arises.

The special counsel team plans to summon Cho again on Friday before deciding whether to seek an arrest warrant for him.