Retired Major General Noh Sang-won Sentenced to Two Years for Martial Law‑Related Crimes
Updated (2 articles)
Court Verdict Details: On 15 December 2025 the Seoul Central District Court handed retired Army Maj. Gen. Noh Sang-won a two‑year prison term and ordered him to forfeit 24.9 million won for bribe acceptance, concluding the case against him [1][2]. The sentence follows prosecutors’ request for a three‑year term, reflecting the court’s assessment of the seriousness of his offenses. Noh’s conviction marks the first judicial penalty issued in the special counsel’s investigation of former President Yoon Suk‑yeol’s December 3, 2024 martial‑law declaration.
Charges and Alleged Motives: Noh was indicted for acquiring personal data of Defense Intelligence Command (DIC) agents from senior commanders between September and December 2024 to build a secret unit aimed at probing alleged election fraud [1][2]. He also faced bribery charges for receiving 20 million won in cash and department‑store gift certificates worth 6 million won from a brigadier general and a colonel in exchange for promotion assistance. The court found these actions intertwined with preparations for the unlawful martial‑law proclamation.
Links to Martial Law Preparation and Officials: Investigators determined Noh leveraged personal ties with the incumbent defense chief to place junior officers in key roles, facilitating his involvement in martial‑law planning [1]. He was identified as a close confidant of former Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun, who was separately arrested for participation in the same declaration. The bench noted that while the DIC agent list was not leaked externally, the misuse of the information contributed to the unconstitutional move.
Significance in Cho Eun‑suk Probe: The ruling represents the inaugural conviction in Special Counsel Cho Eun‑suk’s team probing Yoon’s martial‑law actions, underscoring the probe’s expanding scope [2]. Prosecutors had sought a longer term, but the court emphasized Noh’s crimes extended beyond Personal Information Protection Act violations to facilitating an illegal state of emergency. The case signals heightened judicial scrutiny of senior military officials linked to the 2024 martial‑law episode.
Sources
-
1.
Yonhap: Retired general gets 2‑yr sentence over martial law involvement – Highlights Noh’s personal connections with the defense chief, the non‑leakage of the DIC list, and that promised favors were not realized, providing a nuanced view of the court’s reasoning .
-
2.
Yonhap: Retired general gets 2‑yr sentence over martial law involvement – Emphasizes the sentence as the first in Cho Eun‑suk’s investigation, details the bribe amounts, and stresses Noh’s close relationship with former Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun, framing the case within the broader probe .
Timeline
Dec 3, 2024 – President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law, triggering a nationwide legal and political backlash and later investigations into its constitutionality [1][2].
Sep – Dec 2024 – Retired Maj. Gen. Noh Sang‑won gathers personal data of Defense Intelligence Command agents and uses it to form a secret group aimed at probing alleged election fraud, actions later deemed central to the martial‑law preparation [1][2].
Aug – Sep 2024 – Noh accepts bribes totaling 20 million won in cash and 6 million won in department‑store gift certificates from a brigadier general and a colonel in exchange for promises to aid their promotions [1][2].
Early 2025 – Special Counsel Cho Eun‑suk establishes a dedicated investigative team to examine Yoon’s martial‑law declaration and related misconduct within the military hierarchy [1][2].
2025 – Former Defense Minister Kim Yong‑hyun is arrested for his role in the martial‑law declaration, underscoring the expanding scope of the probe [1][2].
2025 – Noh is formally indicted on charges of illegal intelligence collection and bribery, accused of leveraging his DIC connections to influence personnel matters during the martial‑law planning [1][2].
Dec 15, 2025 – The Seoul Central District Court sentences Noh to two years in prison, orders forfeiture of 24.9 million won, and the bench declares “Noh’s crimes … contributed to an unconstitutional and unlawful declaration of martial law, warranting grave accountability” [1][2].