Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun: “Freedom is the reward for the noble ‘blood’ shed fighting against the ‘evil’ forces.”
On the 16th, former Minister Kim will stand trial for charges related to significant duties in a rebellion… The first criminal trial regarding the emergency martial law.
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was arrested and indicted for allegedly leading the December 3 martial law incident, released a statement through his attorney on the 2nd, urging, “Patriotic comrades, I earnestly request that you protect the President for the future of the Free Republic of Korea.”
In a letter released by his lawyer Lee Ha-sang, Kim stated, “The President spends 24 hours a day thinking only of the nation and its people,” thereby urging support.
He continued, “The subordinates and soldiers, who carried out tasks under the minister’s orders during the proclamation of martial law by the President, are suffering from illegal investigations. Freedom does not come for free. It is the reward for the noble ‘blood’ shed fighting against the ‘evil’ forces,” he argued.
He added, “We will fight to the end to eradicate anti-state forces and clarify the aspects of fraudulent elections, thus passing on a proper nation, where constitutional values and the legal order stand firmly, to future generations.” This prison letter from Kim is seen as an effort to justify the December 3 martial law and rally support, with an apparent intention to protect President Yoon Suk-yeol, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued. This letter, read by his lawyer on a YouTube channel, was written on the 29th of last month.
Meanwhile, Kim’s trial on charges related to significant duties in a rebellion is scheduled for the 16th of this month. It will be the first criminal trial associated with the December 3 martial law.
According to the legal community, the 25th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Chief Judge Ji Gwi-yeon) set the first preparatory hearing date for the case involving the rebellion charges against former Minister Kim to 10 a.m. on the 16th. The purpose of the preparatory hearing is to establish key issues, and plan the process and schedule of the trial.
Former Minister Kim is known to have proposed the declaration of martial law to President Yoon and played a major role in drafting the proclamation. The prosecution believes that under Kim’s instructions, the police sealed off the National Assembly, and troops from the Capital Defense Command and Special Warfare Command were deployed to prevent the decision to lift martial law. Kim is also believed to have directed the arrest and detention of about ten key figures, including Woo Won-shik, the National Assembly Speaker, Han Dong-hoon, former representative of the People Power Party, and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, while deploying martial law troops to seize the National Election Commission for investigating claims of election fraud.
Kim’s defense argues that the prosecution’s charges are one-sided and false, denying allegations of rebellion. They also assert that the declaration of martial law is a unique governing act of the President and not illegal. On the 27th of last month, through a notice to the press, Kim’s defense stated, “We strongly denounce the prosecution’s behavior of inciting prejudice before the trial and filling in insufficient evidence with public agitation and will immediately file a complaint,” further asserting that “the illegality of the prosecution’s dismissal of charges will be clearly revealed in court.”