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Ex-prosecutor general indicted over alleged martial law involvement

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By Yonhap
  • Published Aug 20, 2026 10:06 pm KST
Former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung leaves the Seoul Central District Court, July 16, after attending a hearing to review a warrant request for his arrest over allegations of abuse of authority related to the Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration. Yonhap

Former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung leaves the Seoul Central District Court, July 16, after attending a hearing to review a warrant request for his arrest over allegations of abuse of authority related to the Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration. Yonhap

A special counsel team on Thursday indicted former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung without detention over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid in 2024.

The team, led by special counsel Kwon Chang-young, said Shim was indicted without physical detention on charges of playing a key role in the botched martial law bid and abusing his authority in the process.

Shim is accused of reviewing the dispatch of prosecutors to a joint martial law investigation headquarters on Dec. 3, 2024, the night when Yoon declared martial law, at the direction of former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae.

Kwon's team also suspects that Shim discussed response measures regarding crimes subject to military court jurisdiction and was involved in drafting a document outlining trial jurisdiction under martial law.

Earlier in the day, Shim's representatives issued a statement, saying the special counsel had ignored evidence and legal principles and vowing to prove in court that the indictment was unjustified.