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President Lee Appoints Kwon Chang‑young to Lead Expanded Probe of Former President Yoon

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  • Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the main opposition People Power Party, delivers a policy address during a plenary session of the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 4, 2026. (Yonhap)
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    Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the main opposition People Power Party, delivers a policy address during a plenary session of the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 4, 2026. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • This file photo shows Kwon Chang-young, a special counsel appointed by President Lee Jae Myung on Feb. 5, 2026, to lead an investigation into allegations of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    This file photo shows Kwon Chang-young, a special counsel appointed by President Lee Jae Myung on Feb. 5, 2026, to lead an investigation into allegations of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong (Yonhap)
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    Former National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • This file photo shows Kwon Chang-young, a special counsel appointed by President Lee Jae Myung on Feb. 5, 2026, to lead an investigation into allegations of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    This file photo shows Kwon Chang-young, a special counsel appointed by President Lee Jae Myung on Feb. 5, 2026, to lead an investigation into allegations of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Former National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former Supreme Court Justice Park Byong-dae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Former Supreme Court Justice Park Byong-dae arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Former Supreme Court Justice Ko Young-han arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Former Supreme Court Justice Ko Young-han arrives at the Seoul High Court in the capital on Jan. 30, 2026, to attend his sentencing hearing over charges of power abuse. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) Source Full size

Lee Names Former Judge Kwon as Special Counsel President Lee Jae Myung appointed adjunct professor Kwon Chang‑young, a former district‑court judge and senior member of the Supreme Court’s Judicial Research and Training Institute, to head a new investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife on Feb. 5, 2026, following a recommendation from the minor Rebuilding Korea Party [1].

Probe Consolidates Three Earlier Martial‑Law Inquiries The new counsel will merge three special‑counsel investigations launched after Yoon’s brief martial‑law decree in Dec. 2024: the decree itself, allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee, and the death of a young Marine, as mandated by a Democratic Party‑passed bill [1].

Mandate Targets Unexamined Election‑Interference Claims Kwon’s team is tasked with probing allegations omitted from earlier inquiries, notably alleged election‑interference and other influence‑peddling activities linked to Yoon and his wife, with a maximum investigation period of 170 days and the possibility of two extensions [1].

Parallel Legal Battles Involve Former Officials and Judiciary Former NIS director Cho Tae‑yong denied dereliction‑of‑duty charges in a Feb. 4 trial, while prosecutors sought the death penalty for Yoon on insurrection charges [2]. Opposition leader Jang Dong‑hyeok called for three separate special‑counsel probes into the ruling Democratic Party’s alleged Unification Church ties and bribery, criticizing the DP’s plan to combine investigations [3]. Former Supreme Court chief justice Yang Sung‑tae filed an appeal against a six‑month suspended sentence for power abuse on Feb. 2, highlighting the broader accountability drive across the executive, intelligence, and judicial branches [4].

Sources

Timeline

Dec 3 2024 – President Yoon Suk‑yeol declares martial law, deploying troops and police to seal the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, claiming the move “to eradicate anti‑state forces” and protect national security[15].

Early 2025 – The National Assembly impeaches and removes Yoon from office after the martial‑law episode triggers a constitutional crisis and mass protests[4].

Jul 17 2025 – Special counsel Cho Eun‑suk files indictments against Yoon and nine co‑defendants, charging obstruction of justice, abuse of power and related offenses tied to the December 2024 decree[21].

Sep 26 2025 – Yoon’s insurrection trial begins at Seoul Central District Court, marking the first criminal proceeding over the failed martial‑law bid[24].

Dec 1 2025 – A Seoul court schedules a hearing on an arrest‑warrant request for PPP lawmaker Choo Kyung‑ho, accused of changing the venue of an emergency party meeting that limited PPP lawmakers’ participation in the vote to lift the decree[28].

Dec 2 2025 – The National Assembly approves a motion to arrest Choo, but the court later denies the warrant, citing insufficient grounds and parliamentary immunity[25][26].

Dec 4 2025 – Prosecutors add a perjury charge against Yoon for allegedly lying about a pre‑planned Cabinet meeting during former Prime Minister Han Duck‑soo’s trial[24].

Dec 7 2025 – Former PPP floor leader Choo Kyung‑ho and ex‑Prime Minister Hwang Kyo‑ahn are indicted without detention for inciting insurrection and obstructing the lift of the martial‑law decree[23].

Dec 15 2025 – Retired Maj. Gen. Noh Sang‑won receives a two‑year prison sentence and a fine for collecting intelligence officers’ personal data to support the martial‑law operation, the first sentencing in Cho Eun‑suk’s probe[22].

Dec 21 2025 – Minor opposition leader Lee Jun‑seok is questioned for nearly ten hours about alleged election‑meddling linked to former first lady Kim Keon‑hee and Yoon’s martial‑law case[20].

Dec 24 2025 – Yoon and his wife are indicted for receiving 58 free opinion polls worth 270 billion won during the 2021‑2022 election cycle, violating the Political Funds Act[19].

Dec 26 2025 – Prosecutors request a 10‑year prison term for Yoon on obstruction‑of‑justice charges, outlining a split sentence for multiple offenses tied to the martial‑law decree[18].

Jan 13 2026 – The Blue House issues a statement that it “expects the judiciary to deliver a verdict in line with the law and public expectations” after special counsel urges the death penalty for Yoon[15].

Jan 13 2026 – Special counsel publicly demands the death penalty for Yoon, framing him as the “head of an insurrection” and making the request the day’s top headline[14].

Jan 14 2026 – Independent counsel files a death‑penalty request in Yoon’s insurrection case, citing the 406‑day‑old martial‑law act as a grave breach of the constitution[13].

Jan 15 2026 – Prosecutors again seek the death penalty for Yoon, arguing his actions endangered constitutional order and constitute a “grave breach of public sovereignty”[10].

Jan 15 2026 – The Seoul High Court announces it will create two new insurrection divisions on Feb 23 to handle Yoon’s case and other rebellion trials[11].

Jan 15 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court schedules Yoon’s first sentencing for the martial‑law obstruction case at 2 p.m. on Friday, the first of eight criminal trials he faces[12].

Jan 16 2026 – A court convicts former President Yoon Suk‑yeol of abuse of power, obstruction of justice and falsifying documents, imposing a five‑year prison term; supporters watch the livestream outside the courthouse[1][9].

Jan 21 2026 – Former Prime Minister Han Duck‑soo is sentenced to 23 years in prison for abetting Yoon’s martial‑law decree, falsifying the proclamation and lying under oath[5].

Jan 22 2026 – A Seoul court upholds Han’s 23‑year rebellion conviction, describing the martial‑law dispatch as a “riot or self‑coup” that threatened constitutional order[4].

Jan 29‑31 2026 – Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back travels to Japan for talks with Shinjiro Koizumi, marking a major agenda item in resuming military cooperation[8].

Jan 30 2026 – The Seoul High Court sentences former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung‑tae to a six‑month prison term suspended for one year for abusing judicial power in forced‑labor compensation and election‑meddling cases[6].

Feb 12 2026 – A court is set to deliver its ruling on former Interior Minister Lee Sang‑min’s 15‑year sentencing request for insurrection‑related power‑cut orders during the martial‑law episode[16].

Feb 19 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court is slated to issue its verdict on Yoon’s insurrection charge, the outcome poised to test South Korea’s democratic accountability mechanisms[10].

Feb 23 2026 – The newly formed insurrection divisions at the Seoul High Court and Seoul Central District Court commence hearings, expanding the judiciary’s capacity to try rebellion and mutiny cases[11].

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