Former South Korean intelligence chief Cho Tae-yong was detained on Wednesday for neglecting his duties during last year’s martial law, a court in Seoul told AFP.
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In December 2024, then South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law and triggered a political crisis by sending soldiers to the National Assembly Building to prevent members of Congress from voting to abolish martial law.
His efforts were unsuccessful, and Mr. Yun was detained in January. He was removed from office in April and faces charges of rioting and other crimes related to his actions.
In the case of Mr. Cho, who was the director of the National Intelligence Service at the time, the special prosecutor requested his arrest on the grounds that he had neglected his duties as head of the spy agency and was at risk of destroying evidence.
The Seoul Central District Court reviewed the validity of the warrant and granted it on Tuesday. “The main charge is neglect of duty,” the court said in a statement sent to AFP.
Prosecutors have accused Cho of giving false testimony, claiming that although he was “aware of the illegality” of the declaration of martial law, he did not report it to Congress. Prosecutor Park Ji-young told reporters last week, “The possibility that he participated in the riot has increased.”
Cho’s arrest came after prosecutors added a charge of aiding the enemy to Yoon, accusing him of ordering a drone flight over North Korea to justify the declaration of martial law.
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