Former Capital Defense Commander Jinwoo Lee: "Yoon Ordered to Break Down the Door and Drag Them Out"

Silent on Yoon's Orders Until Now
First Testimony in Court

Former Capital Defense Command Commander Jinwoo Lee stated on May 20 that during the 12·3 Martial Law, he received instructions from former President Yoon Seokyeol to "break down the door and drag them out." This is the first time that Lee has testified to this effect in court.

Former Capital Defense Command Commander Jinwoo Lee is attending the 3rd hearing of the Special Committee on the National Investigation into the Alleged Rebellion Charges through the Declaration of Martial Law by the Yoon Seokyeol Administration held at the National Assembly on February 6, 2025. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

On May 20, Lee appeared as a witness at the trial of former Defense Security Command Chief Inhyeong Yeo and former Military Intelligence Command Chief Sangho Moon, held at the Seoul Central Military Court. He said, "(Former President Yoon) told me to kick the door, break it down, and drag them out, so I thought it was not normal."

Regarding the testimony that former President Yoon said on the day of martial law, "Why not just have four people each carry one person out of the main chamber?" Lee added, "At first, I couldn't remember, but my aide reminded me, and then I recalled it." However, he clarified, "I don't think the president used the word 'lawmaker.'"

Until now, Lee had refused to testify in the National Assembly hearings and during the Constitutional Court's impeachment proceedings against former President Yoon about whether he had received such instructions. This is the first time he has testified on the matter, nearly six months after the 12·3 Martial Law incident occurred.

Previously, Captain Sangbae Oh, who was Lee's aide during martial law, appeared as a witness in court on May 12 and testified that former President Yoon had instructed Lee to "enter the main chamber and have four people each carry one person out."

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