Politics · South Korea · 5 hrs ago
Former South Korean Prosecutor General Denies Martial Law Charges
Former prosecutor general Shim Woo-jung denied all charges at his first trial in Seoul on November 10.
He and former senior prosecutor Jeon Moo-gon are accused of helping prepare for criminal cases under the martial law declaration made on December 3, 2024.
Shim is also accused of considering sending prosecutors to a military-led joint investigation headquarters, following an order from then-justice minister Park Sung-jae.
The judge criticized special prosecutors for not asking agencies about access to records requested by the defense, although Shim was charged in August.
Shim’s lawyers cited a separate appeal ruling and argued that a disputed list named prosecutors for a later investigation, not for the joint headquarters.
A witness said another disputed document copied existing plans and was not used in reporting martial law, while both defendants denied the allegations.
The trial will examine whether the defendants helped prepare for martial law-related prosecutions, but no further court dates or next steps were given.
Former South Korean Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung denied all charges at his first trial in Seoul on November 10.
He is accused of helping prepare for the dispatch of prosecutors to a martial-law joint investigation headquarters and of involvement in discussions and a document on court jurisdiction under martial law.
Shim’s lawyers cited an appeals court ruling in a separate case and disputed the prosecution’s interpretation of documents and a list of prosecutors.
A witness said a document at issue copied material from a martial-law proclamation and military plans, and was not a report in the usual chain of command.
The court criticized the special counsel team for not contacting relevant agencies about the defence’s request to inspect and copy records.
- Who
- Former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and former Supreme Prosecutors’ Office official Jeon Mu-gon are defendants. The special counsel team is prosecuting them.
- What
- Shim and Jeon denied the charges against them, which include involvement in preparations and discussions related to martial law.
- When
- The first trial hearing took place on November 10, 2026.
- Where
- Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea.
- Why
- The defendants deny the allegations. Shim’s lawyers argued that the documents and prosecutor list cited by the special counsel did not support the charges.
Defendants
Special counsel team
Charges
Defendants
Shim’s and Jeon’s lawyers denied all charges.
Special counsel team
The special counsel team charged Shim and Jeon with offences related to their alleged roles during martial law.
Prosecutor list
Defendants
Shim’s lawyers said the list was for a special investigation unit formed after martial law, not for the joint investigation headquarters.
Special counsel team
The special counsel team viewed the list as a roster for prosecutors to be sent to the joint investigation headquarters.
Document
Defendants
Shim’s lawyers said the document was created after martial law was lifted and was not a report suitable for the prosecutor general.
Special counsel team
The special counsel team cited documents in support of its allegations.
A witness said he reported to then-Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok that the Joint Chiefs of Staff wanted a prosecutor, rather than another prosecution service employee, to attend a military exercise.
Martial law was declared, and Shim is alleged to have considered dispatching prosecutors to a joint investigation headquarters.
Shim’s lawyers said the document at issue was created at about 4 p.m., 12 hours after martial law was lifted.
Shim was indicted, according to the court’s remarks at the hearing.
At a preparatory hearing, the court criticized the special counsel team for not having prepared a written opinion.
Shim and Jeon denied the charges at Shim’s first trial hearing.
- Defendant
- Shim Woo-jung, former prosecutor general
- Co-defendant
- Jeon Mu-gon, former Supreme Prosecutors’ Office planning and coordination official
- Court
- Seoul Central District Court, Criminal Division 38-3
- First hearing
- November 10, 2026
- Document date claimed by defence
- December 4, 2024, about 4 p.m.
1 source
What people are saying
The special counsel team failed to confirm that the document was written on the night of December 3, even after searching USB devices several times.
You mean the special counsel has not even asked yet?
At first I could not see the contents and thought it was a smoking gun, but when I looked closely, it was copied directly from the proclamation and Chungmu Plan.