"Confused with Kim Eojun... Singer Kim Hojung Mistakenly Listed on 12·3 Martial Law Arrest List"

"Defense Security Command Agents Misidentified Kim Eojun"

Former Defense Security Command chief Yeo Inhyeong testified that during the December 3 Martial Law, agents from the Defense Security Command mistakenly identified broadcaster Kim Eojun as singer Kim Hojung, who was on the list of individuals to be arrested.

"Defense Security Command Mistook Kim Eojun for Kim Hojung"... Yeo Inhyeong Testifies About Events the Day After Martial Law

On May 24 last year, singer Kim Hojung appeared at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, for a detention hearing (pre-arrest suspect interrogation).

On the 24th, former commander Yeo appeared as a witness in the trial of former President Yoon Sukyeol on charges of insurrection, held at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 25 (Presiding Judge Ji Guyoun). During the trial, Yoon’s legal team continued to question the credibility of the “arrest target list” presented as evidence by the special prosecutor.

At the hearing, Yeo stated, “If you look at the contents of the list, Kim Eojun is on it,” and added, “Until the afternoon of December 4, our Defense Security Command agents believed that ‘Kim Eojun’ referred to singer Kim Hojung.”

"The Head of the Investigation Team Didn’t Even Know Woo Wonshik Was the Speaker of the National Assembly"

Yeo further explained, “Since information was relayed verbally, I don’t know if I said it that way or if someone else wrote it down like that,” and continued, “When listing the names, someone asked, ‘Who is this person?’ So they looked it up online right there. The head of the investigation team was so uninterested in politics that he didn’t even know Woo Wonshik was the Speaker of the National Assembly.” He emphasized, “The most remarkable part of this incident was not about Kim Eojun, but that he was mistaken for Kim Hojung,” and reiterated, “Even until the afternoon of the 4th, he was believed to be Kim Hojung. People keep talking about the list, but in reality, it was circulating in a very sloppy manner.”

Yeo also admitted to having noted down the names of Kim Hyunji, the First Secretary to President Lee Jaemyung, and Jeong Jinsang, former Chief of Political Affairs Coordination for the Democratic Party, both close associates of President Lee. In response to the defense’s question, “Did you acknowledge to the military prosecutors that Kim Hyunji and Jeong Jinsang are close to Lee Jaemyung, and that you wrote down the names of those the minister considered problematic?” he replied, “Yes.”

Yeo is currently on trial in the military court on charges of forming an arrest team after receiving instructions from former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyeon to arrest and detain more than ten key figures, including then Democratic Party leader Lee Jaemyung and former People Power Party leader Han Donghun, during the period of martial law.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.