The second comprehensive special investigation team, led by special prosecutor Kwon Chang-young, has initiated a forced investigation into Kim Tae-hyo, the former first deputy director of the National Security Office. Kim is suspected of calling the U.S. ambassador to South Korea shortly after the lifting of the December 3 emergency martial law to justify its implementation.
On Thursday, the special investigation team disclosed that they had conducted a search and seizure operation at Kim’s residence and university research lab on Wednesday.
The team explained that the allegations against former Deputy Director Kim involve attempting to persuade foreign entities of the martial law’s legitimacy during the December 3 emergency, thereby engaging in activities potentially related to insurrection.
It is alleged that Kim spoke with Philip Goldberg, then U.S. ambassador to South Korea, immediately after the martial law was lifted on December 4, 2024. Kim reportedly claimed that the martial law was unavoidable to eliminate anti-national forces, as the legislative dictatorship had undermined South Korea’s judicial and administrative systems.
This controversy first came to light early last year when the Democratic Party of Korea raised the issue.
However, Kim’s representatives have consistently denied these allegations, stating that they did not have any conversation with Ambassador Goldberg the morning after the martial law was declared. They have dismissed the claims as blatantly false.
Since last year, Kim has been employed as a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, located in Seoul’s Jongno district.