They obtained materials from a soldier's phone, which included notes about "drones" and "surgical strike," which prosecutors believed was Tocsin's effort to push North Korea toward action.
The former president was removed from office by the Constitutional Court in April, and at present, Yoon is facing a charge of insurrection related to his attempt at imposing martial law. Should he be found guilty, Yoon could receive the death penalty.
Yoon maintains that he did not invoke martial law as a way to impose military control, but instead to raise awareness of alleged corruption among opposition parties and to protect democracy against so-called "anti-state" forces.
Conspiracy and Secret Operations
Prosecutors say, according to spokesperson Park Ji-young, former President Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and former military intelligence head Yeo In-hyung colluded to provoke a military response from North Korea to create justification for announcing a martial law order.
The three of them sought to raise tensions against the North as part of a larger plan to legitimize Yoon's order of martial law.
Kim and Yeo have also been charged with additional charges related to the same martial law ordeal. Prosecutors allege that Yoon and his commanders authorized an unauthorized drone reconnaissance mission into North Korean territory to escalate tensions between the North and the South.
In October of last year, North Korean authorities claimed that the South sent drones carrying pro-anti-Pyongyang leaflets over its capital, and released images displaying debris from a South Korean military drone that crashed. Despite the accusations, South Korea's defense ministry declined to confirm or deny whether or not they were engaged in a drone movement.
Continued Trials and Investigations
Former Defense Minister Kim is still engaged in a trial related to the martial law incident. According to reports, Yeo expressed regret that he didn't fight Yoon's command. Prosecutors discounted his explanation for what they found on his phone as inconsistent and absurd.
The story has continued to remain a focus of public and political interest and continues to highlight the deep cuts over the previous regime's actions and the constitutional limitations of presidential power in South Korea.
