Noh Sang-won, a former Defense Intelligence Commander who is suspected of taking part in the December 3 martial law attempt, has been referred to the prosecution.
The police’s special team probing the martial law incident said on Tuesday that it referred Noh to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on charges of conspiring to commit treason and abuse of authority.
The authorities believe Noh conspired to plan martial law as a civilian supporting former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun.
Considered close to Kim, Noh is also suspected of drafting the martial law decree.
In addition, Noh is accused of discussing the martial law plans with former and incumbent military officials at a burger franchise in Gyeonggi Province two days before President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and on the day of martial law.
Noh, who served as the head of the Defense Intelligence Command under the Park Geun-hye administration, was dishonorably discharged from the military in 2018 after he was convicted of sexual assault.