Kang Ho-pil, the former commander of the Republic of Korea Army Ground Operations Command (GOC) suspected of involvement in an insurrection, is facing a critical juncture as a court decides on his potential arrest.
Judge Lee Jong-rok of the Seoul Central District Court, presiding over insurrection-related warrant reviews, held a pre-arrest interrogation for the former commander at 10:20 a.m. today (July 13).
Kang is accused of participating in the martial law declaration by involving himself in the formation of an internal situation room at the Ground Operations Command and ordering the mobilization of the crisis management team and all command officers following the December 3 emergency martial law declaration.
It was determined that the Ground Operations Command, led by Kang at the time, mobilized its crisis management team via a voice broadcast system around 10:40 p.m. on December 3, 2024, shortly after former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law.
Kang is also suspected of having participated in related discussions even before the martial law was implemented.
Investigations revealed that former Defense Security Command (DSC) Commander Yeo In-hyung referred to the commanders of the Ground Operations Command, Special Warfare Command, Capital Defense Command, and Defense Security Command by the abbreviation "JTSB," noting in a memo, "This is the collective opinion of JTSB," "The four are prepared," and "Enemy action must come first. It must be a situation where control is impossible under wartime or police power."
Excluding Kang, former Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-keun, former Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo, and former Defense Security Commander Yeo In-hyung are already on trial on charges of engaging in important duties related to an insurrection.
Previously, the special counsel team investigating the emergency martial law concluded that there was no evidence that the Ground Operations Command actually deployed troops or carried out specific missions, and thus excluded Kang from the list of those indicted.
Kang has completely denied the allegations, claiming he was unaware of the emergency martial law in advance and was not involved in its implementation.
The results of Kang's arrest warrant review are expected to be released as early as this evening.
(Photo: Yonhap News)