Tank unit commander was on standby on the day of martial law

It had come to light that four hours before the declaration of emergency martial law on December 3, over 30 special operations personnel and Brigadier General Koo Sam-hoe, the commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade, were on standby at the 100th Brigade of the Korea Defense Intelligence Command in Pangyo, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The 2nd Armored Brigade, which operates armored vehicles and tanks, is the closest armored unit to Seoul. It is reported that Brigadier General Koo went to the Korea Defense Intelligence Command in Pangyo at the summons of Roh Sang-won, the former Intelligence Commander, who is suspected of planning this martial law months in advance along with former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun.

The fact that the armored brigade commander was suddenly summoned to the intelligence command and put on standby on the day of martial law raises many suspicions. It is enough to fuel suspicions that armored forces such as tanks were prepared to be deployed in case large-scale protests against martial law erupted or difficulties arose in operations such as arresting politicians. The 2nd Armored Brigade was the unit that deployed 35 tanks to seize the Central Government Complex, the Ministry of National Defense, and Army Headquarters during the December 12, 1979 coup. Additionally, the 2nd Armored Brigade was listed as part of the martial law forces in the 2017 “Martial Law Review Document” by the Defense Security Command.

This serves as further evidence that contradicts President Yoon Suk Yeol’s claim that the martial law declaration was merely a warning measure against the opposition party. Investigations by prosecutors and police have revealed that martial law was prepared over an extended period. Testimonies have surfaced stating that President Yoon expressed his intent for martial law as early as late last year, mentioning “emergency measures.” Furthermore, circumstances indicating premeditated discussions among former and current intelligence commanders and officials two days before martial law have been uncovered.

It was also confirmed that during the course of proclaiming martial law, approximately 1,500 troops were mobilized, along with over 100 military vehicles and 12 helicopters. Martial law forces were armed with sniper rifles and submachine guns. While live ammunition was not issued to individuals, more than 10,000 rounds were distributed. It is horrifying to imagine what orders could have been given to martial law troops in the event of a bloody collision at the National Assembly or the consequences if tanks and armored vehicles were also deployed.

The December 3 martial law incident was a textbook example of a self-coup – a power grab by an incumbent ruler using illegal means to consolidate greater control. President Yoon asserts there’s no coup that only lasts two hours. However, this was only because it failed due to the swift opposition of the public and the National Assembly, as well as passive sabotage by martial law troops. It remains to be seen how long such absurd excuses that martial law was designed to fail from the outset will continue.