Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Cho Tae-yong was arrested on November 12 over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law imposition. The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant following a hearing the previous day, citing concerns over evidence destruction. This marks the second arrest of a Yoon administration official in the martial law probe.
Cho Tae-yong, former head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), faces multiple charges tied to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's December 3, 2024, martial law declaration. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team sought an arrest warrant last week on allegations including NIS law violations, dereliction of duty, perjury, destruction of evidence, creation of false official documents, and false testimony to parliament.
Known as a trusted confidant of Yoon, Cho is accused of failing to report the martial law plan to the National Assembly despite being aware of it before Yoon's televised address. He also allegedly neglected to inform the Assembly after learning that martial law troops planned to detain then-opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon. The NIS Act requires its director to report to the National Assembly and president in cases of significant national security impact.
The special counsel believes Cho gave false testimony to the National Assembly and Constitutional Court, claiming he did not see the martial law decree or related documents at the presidential office and did not witness Cabinet members receiving them. However, CCTV footage shows Cabinet members receiving apparent documents, with Cho handling one.
The November 11 hearing at the Seoul Central District Court lasted about four hours, with prosecutors using 151 PowerPoint slides to argue for detention. Cho denied all charges, stating he felt sorry for not assisting the former president well. He was then sent to the Seoul Detention Center pending the decision.
This is the first arrest of a Yoon administration member in the martial law case since former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min in August. Special counsel Cho's team is investigating various aspects of the martial law attempt.
