Kim Hyun-tae, former head of the 707th Special Mission Group of the Special Warfare Command, speaks at a rally in front of the court [Seoul=Yonhap News]

The special prosecution team led by Jo Eun-seok argued for the detention of Kim Hyun-tae, former head of the 707th Special Mission Group of the Special Warfare Command, who is accused of involvement in the December 3 martial law incident, during his first trial at a civilian court.

On the 19th, during the preparatory hearing for the case of Kim and five other former military personnel accused of participating in crucial tasks during the rebellion, held at the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 37-2 (presided over by Chief Judges Oh Chang-seop, Ryu Chang-seop, and Jang Sung-hoon), the prosecution requested the court to issue an arrest warrant for Kim based on its authority.

The special prosecution team emphasized, "Mr. Kim directly commanded and executed the blockade of the National Assembly, a key task in the rebellion," and stated, "Considering his role and level of involvement, his culpability is not light when compared to Yeo In-hyeong, former director of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and Kwak Jong-geun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, who are being investigated and tried under detention."

Kim was indicted without detention by the prosecutor's office's special investigation headquarters for emergency martial law last February while he was on active duty. He was on trial at a military court until January of this year when the case was transferred to the Seoul Central District Court. Subsequently, he was dismissed from his military position by the Ministry of National Defense.

The special prosecution team explained, "At the time of the investigation, military prosecutors indicted Mr. Kim without detention, considering that he was an active-duty soldier and that he had voluntarily held a press conference shortly after the martial law declaration, appearing to cooperate in uncovering the facts by stating he would take full responsibility."

However, they pointed out that since his indictment, Kim has denied the charges, has been meeting with key accomplices such as Kim Yong-hyeon, former Minister of National Defense, after being dismissed, engaging in secret collusion, and repeatedly committing acts of evidence tampering, such as persuading and pressuring key witnesses.

The special prosecution team further argued, "Without sincere apologies or remorse, he has instead filed complaints against citizens who obstructed the martial law forces. Through YouTube broadcasts and rallies, he is distorting public opinion by asserting that his and his co-conspirators' actions during the rebellion were justified, thereby inciting social division and guiding witnesses toward incorrect testimonies. There are significant changes in circumstances, indicating a very high risk of flight and evidence destruction."

They added, "These actions are utterly unacceptable, even from the perspective of public sentiment among ordinary citizens wounded by the rebellion, and go beyond the limits of defense."

Kim's defense attorney countered, "I do not understand the necessity for detention at all. The facts have already been revealed, and witness testimonies have been completed. There is no concern of evidence tampering."

The court has scheduled the first formal trial for the 16th of next month. In accordance with the law on rebellion-dedicated trial courts, the trial will be broadcasted with recording.