Yoon floated martial law at safe house dinner in mid-2024: ex-commander

This photo shows Yeo In-hyung, former chief of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, speaking at a court hearing, Feb. 4. Courtesy of Constitutional Court

Ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol floated the idea of imposing martial law during a dinner at the presidential safe house in May or June last year, about seven months before its actual imposition, an indicted former military commander suggested Monday.

Yeo In-hyung, former chief of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, made the remarks during an insurrection trial hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, which he attended as a witness.

"Former President Yoon mentioned contingency power and martial law at the presidential safe house around May or June last year," Yeo said, citing a dinner meeting also attended by former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

About seven months later, on Dec. 3, Yoon declared martial law, citing a fight against "pro-North Korea and anti-state" forces, but it was voted down by the National Assembly.

Yeo said he felt that the former president was not well informed about the military's situation regarding martial law and told Yoon that, although guaranteed by the Constitution, imposing martial law was not possible given the military's unpreparedness for such a scenario.

Addressing rumors that he had knelt down in front of Yoon during the dinner, Yeo said he did so because he felt that he had made an impolite remark as a mere commander, recalling Yoon's mention of martial law as "shocking."

The former commander, however, said Yoon did not elaborate on whether he planned to impose martial law but simply mentioned it, adding that he tried to convince Yoon that deploying troops for martial law was impossible.

Yeo, who is standing trial at the military court on charges of following orders by Kim on arresting and detaining key politicians, rejected to testify on such details, including a memo he wrote that included the names of prominent politicians, like then Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae Myung.