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The former head of the Army Intelligence Command, Moon Sang-ho, appeared as a witness in the trial of former President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges of insurrection on the 4th, confessing that he instructed his subordinates to prepare live ammunition during the emergency martial law declaration on December 3. Moon, who is accused of overseeing an operation to infiltrate the National Election Commission under the guidance of former Intelligence Command chief Noh Sang-won—a civilian at the time of the martial law—mentioned during the proceedings at the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 25 that he received an instruction from Noh around 10 a.m. on the day the martial law was declared: “There could be a situation this week at night, so have one team ready.”

When the special counsel asked, “At first, you told them to prepare blanks, but after learning that K-5 rifles don’t have blanks, you then ordered live ammunition—did you do that?” Moon responded, “Yes.” He also said “Yes” when asked if he had directed, “Each individual should carry 10 rounds of live ammunition.”

As for the question, “What was the reason for preparing baseball bats, cable ties, and masks?” he answered, “I remember it was to create fear.”

Nevertheless, during Yoon’s cross-examination, when asked, “You didn’t really plan to use live bullets, did you?” Moon responded, “That’s right.”

Yoon explicitly mentioned, “I believed it would be the Defense Counterintelligence Command or Cyber Command, rather than the Intelligence Command, that would be sent to the National Election Commission. The guidance provided to former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was to examine and check the election commission’s firewall and security. It is inherently impossible for the military to perform such duties.”

In the meantime, Moon took part in the so-called “hamburger meeting,” a planning session prior to the imposition of martial law that occurred at a hamburger restaurant.