Col. Kim Hyun-tae, head of the 707th Special Mission Group, who was deployed to the National Assembly during President Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law declaration, testified before the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee on Feb. 17, alleging that Democratic Party lawmakers sought to influence former Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, in the aftermath of the crisis. Kim stated he was present on Dec. 10 when Kwak met with Democratic Party lawmakers Park Beom-kye and Boo Seung-chan. During the meeting, a Democratic Party policy advisor reportedly assured Kwak, “The tide has turned. The Democratic Party will protect you.” Kim also recalled Park pressuring Kwak to repeat a specific statement, instructing him, “Try saying it once more,” and urging him to adhere to a phrasing Park had written down, adding, “That’s not what you said earlier.” Kim suggested this amounted to coaching Kwak’s testimony to align with the party’s stance.
That same day, Kwak testified before the National Assembly, claiming President Yoon had ordered the military to “break down the doors of the National Assembly and drag out lawmakers.” His statement became a key piece of evidence in Yoon’s impeachment case, which accused the president of attempting to suppress legislative functions. However, during the impeachment trial, Kwak walked back his claim, stating, “President Yoon never mentioned ‘lawmakers.’ I recall him saying ‘personnel’ instead.” These latest allegations of witness coaching add another layer to the controversy.
Kim also testified that on Dec. 6, Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Byeong-ju and Park Sun-won visited the Special Warfare Command under the pretense of lodging a protest and provided Kwak with a list of anticipated questions and suggested responses. According to Kim, Kwak, visibly distressed, repeatedly affirmed their instructions with “Yes, yes” before becoming emotional. Kim likened the scene to a defeated general being interrogated by an occupying force.
Kim further recalled that a Democratic Party lawmaker assured Kwak, “We will introduce you to a lawyer.” He questioned whether having Kwak read from a prepared statement and offering him legal assistance amounted to an attempt to manipulate his testimony. Additionally, a Democratic Party lawmaker disclosed the so-called “arrest list memo” authored by Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS). However, doubts have since emerged regarding when and where the memo was drafted. With an impeachment ruling that could potentially remove the president from office, the integrity of evidence must be rigorously scrutinized.
