The first hearing in the criminal trial related to the December 3 emergency martial law involving Kim Myung-soo, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was held at 10 a.m. on September 1, 2026, at the Seoul Central District Court. Kim denied all charges in court and said, in substance, that he would reveal the truth and restore his honor.
Key Change
The biggest development in this case is that the first trial hearing has officially begun. Kim was reportedly indicted without detention on charges including performing an important role in insurrection and non-genuine complicity in a subordinate’s crime. He denied all of these charges at the first hearing.
Although the first hearing has begun, the court has not issued a final judgment on whether he is guilty.
Current Status
The special counsel alleges that Kim participated in the insurrection by failing to prevent the military’s deployment to the National Assembly and by becoming involved in the formation of the Martial Law Command. These are the facts alleged by the special counsel in the indictment.
Kim’s legal team has continued to deny the charges, arguing that after martial law was declared, the Minister of National Defense directed and controlled the martial law forces, while Kim was excluded from decision-making and therefore unable to exercise command authority. The special counsel’s allegations and the defendant’s rebuttal are both claims being contested at trial and must be distinguished from a final court ruling.
Impact
The court said it planned to conduct an on-site inspection of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Combat Control Room on the afternoon of September 1. The court intends to use the inspection as reference material for understanding testimony.
The issues currently identified are therefore as follows.
- The special counsel’s allegations concerning the military deployment and formation of the Martial Law Command
- Kim’s claim that he lacked command authority and was excluded from decision-making
- How materials from the on-site inspection may be used as reference material for understanding future testimony
Next Checkpoint
YTN reported that the next hearing is scheduled for September 15. However, the research materials state that an official public schedule from the court was not separately confirmed, so the date should be treated as a reported schedule requiring verification.
This case is at the stage where the first hearing has begun. The court will reach its decision after considering the special counsel’s allegations and the defendant’s rebuttal. Based on the currently available materials, Kim’s guilt cannot be stated conclusively.