In a notable development, military insiders have revealed that the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) may have orchestrated provocative communications intended to bait North Korean aggression. This revelation comes amid allegations that the JCS ordered Boeing AH-64 Apaches to conduct threatening flights along the Northern Limit Line (NLL) prior to the December 3 emergency martial law declaration.
On Monday, sources from the Army Aviation Command disclosed to Democratic Representative Choo Mi-ae’s office that, during the latter half of last year, discussions took place regarding the use of deceptive communications. These communications purportedly indicated intentions to target specific North Korean sites while operating Apache helicopters.
The alleged use of deceptive communications was not an isolated incident. Reports indicate that such communications occurred multiple times, with communication logs still available.
Earlier reports drew attention when it was revealed that the Army Aviation Command had armed Apache helicopters with 30mm (about 1.2 inches) live rounds and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles during NLL threat flight missions. This unusual armament—featuring munitions typically reserved for wartime scenarios—marked a significant deviation from standard training protocols.
Standard procedure for approaching Baekryeong Island involves following a ㄴ-shaped flight path at a safe distance from North Korean territory. However, it is alleged that last year’s operations saw aircraft flying in close proximity to the NLL, coming within 2–3 kilometers (about 1.2 to 1.9 miles) of North Korean installations. Pilots reported that they could visually identify North Korean fishing vessels without the aid of optical devices.
These flights were reportedly conducted under direct JCS orders, with most internal communications shared via encrypted platforms such as Telegram. The Army Aviation Command is said to have emphasized the written dissemination of operational details and stressed the importance of subsequent document destruction.
Adding to the controversy, notebooks belonging to former Former Defense Intelligence Commander Noh Sang-won—who now faces insurrection charges—reportedly contained plans for North Wind operations. These operations were designed to provoke North Korean attacks near the NLL.
The special investigation team probing allegations of insurrection and foreign exchange violations related to the December 3 emergency martial law is reportedly considering former President Yoon Suk Yeol, suspecting that he may have orchestrated drone infiltrations into Pyongyang to fabricate a pretext for declaring emergency martial law.
Sources indicate that the special investigation team is also scrutinizing the Apache helicopter threat flight missions as part of their broader inquiry.