South Korea: Special counsel probing Yoon's martial law imposition raids drone command

Seoul, July 14 (IANS) South Korea's special counsel, investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law imposition, on Monday raided the Drone Operations Command (DOC) and the defence ministry, in a sign that the insurrection probe has expanded into treason charges.

Yoon is standing on criminal trial on insurrection charges for his failed martial law bid, but media reports have suspected that he might have ordered the top military brass to send drones to North Korea last year, as he had planned to impose martial law, reports Yonhap news agency.

The team, led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk, sent its investigators to 24 locations, including the DOC, located in Pocheon, north of Seoul, and the Ministry of Defence in Seoul, as well as the Defense Counterintelligence Command, to obtain evidence related to the case, officials said.

They were also carrying out raids at the National Security Office of the presidential office in Yongsan and the residence of Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae, head of the drone command.

The special counsel suspects that Yoon ordered the military to send the drones to Pyongyang last October to provoke North Korea and use it as justification for imposing the December 3 martial law, which was blocked by a National Assembly vote only a few hours later.

It is also looking into allegations that the military was involved in the cover-up of the drone operation.

The special counsel team has reportedly secured a recording of a military officer suggesting that Yoon directly instructed the drone command to prepare a drone mission across the border into Pyongyang between October and November last year, weeks before he declared martial law.

It is also delving into allegations that the DOC deliberately modified a drone to carry anti-Pyongyang leaflets despite knowing the risk of it crashing to the ground.

In October last year, North Korea claimed it had discovered the remains of the drone carrying the leaflets in its capital, accusing Seoul of sending them and warning that it would retaliate if the South sent it again.

--IANS

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