A disturbing discovery has recently emerged in South Korea, shedding light on alarming plans that allegedly targeted members of the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice (CPAJ). According to a report by the Korea Herald published on February 4, notes found in the possession of Roh Sang-won, former head of the Defense Security Command and a close associate of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, reveal intentions to apprehend and detain members of this priests' association, among other civilians.
These notes, the contents of which have not been officially confirmed by authorities, reportedly indicate that the targeted individuals were to be "collected" and detained in specific areas, potentially military detention centers.
Founded on September 26, 1974, at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice played a key role in the country's democratization movement. Over the decades, it has engaged with crucial issues such as human rights, the fight against authoritarianism in the 1970s, democratization and reunification efforts in the 1980s, as well as inter-Korean exchanges, environmental concerns, and peace initiatives since the 1990s.
The notes found with Roh Sang-won, who is currently under criminal investigation for his alleged involvement in an insurrection led by Yoon Suk Yeol, have not been formally attributed to an author. The National Forensic Service, tasked with analyzing the handwriting, could not confirm they were written by Roh.
According to local reports, these notes also identified politicians, media members, and religious leaders as "subjects for collection." Even more alarmingly, they reportedly mentioned a plan to provoke a North Korean attack at the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas.
On December 3, 2024, then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and sent troops to the parliament. This attempt to suspend civilian power lasted only six hours, as legislators defied the military to reject the decision. Yoon was subsequently impeached through an impeachment process, suspending him from his duties.
Today, the former president faces an impeachment trial before the South Korean Constitutional Court. The fifth hearing of this trial, scheduled for February 4 at 2:00 PM, intended to summon former military commanders and the deputy director of intelligence services. Furthermore, Yoon must also answer to criminal charges for insurrection, with a separate trial set to begin on February 20.