Former Military Intelligence Chief Faces Trial for Alleged Coup Plot: What You Need to Know

Former Army Intelligence Command chief Mun Sang-ho, accused of ordering troops to the Central Election Commission and conspiring to impose martial law during the Dec. 3 emergency, will face his first formal civilian trial on March 16. 

On March 12, Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 26, presided over by Judge Lee Hyun-kyung, completed pretrial procedures on charges that Mun played a central role in an insurrection, abused his authority and disclosed military information. The court set the first formal hearing for March 16. 

Mun had been tried at the Central Regional Military Court before the Defense Ministry dismissed him in January. At the request of the special prosecution team led by Cho Eun-seok, the case was transferred to Seoul Central District Court. Mun denies all charges. 

The court said it will call former intelligence commander Noh Sang-won as a witness on April 10. 

Prosecutors allege that on Dec. 3, 2024, Mun ordered 10 intelligence personnel to deploy to the Central Election Commission office in Gwacheon and, after declaring martial law, instructed them to seize the commission’s server room. 

They also allege he read a list of roughly 30 election commission employees to about 30 troops who were to be organized as an unofficial “Second Investigation Unit” within the martial law command’s joint investigation headquarters, directing those troops to arrest and transfer the named individuals. 

The special prosecutor concluded those actions amounted to attempting to incite a riot to undermine the constitutional order and that Mun abused his authority by ordering operations beyond his official duties.