Seoul: A special counsel team on Wednesday launched a raid on the home of former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong as part of its investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's attempt to impose martial law. The investigation aims to uncover details surrounding the controversial period and the actions taken by high-ranking officials.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the team led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk was also raiding seven other locations related to the destruction of evidence following the insurrection. This operation is part of a broader effort to gather evidence and assess the extent of the alleged cover-up. Assistant special counsel Park Ji-young informed reporters about the raids, specifically mentioning the martial law bid in December.
The former NIS director, Cho Tae-yong, is under suspicion for his involvement in deleting records from secure phones used by Yoon and former NIS deputy director Hong Jang-won after the unsuccessful martial law attempt. These actions are seen as potential efforts to obstruct justice and hinder the investigation process.
In addition, the special counsel team has issued directives to the Seoul Detention Center, where former President Yoon is currently held, to restrict all visitations except by family members and legal representatives until formal charges are brought against him. This step is intended to ensure the integrity of the ongoing investigation and to prevent any outside interference.
In response, Yoon's legal team released a statement to the press indicating that a planned visit by Morse Tan, a Korean American professor who has publicly defended Yoon's martial law declaration, was canceled on Wednesday. This development signals the intense scrutiny and legal challenges facing the former president and his associates as the investigation progresses.