Seoul: Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Cho Tae-yong was arrested Wednesday on charges related to his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Cho after a hearing, citing concerns that he might destroy evidence. The warrant was requested by special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team, which charged the former NIS director with violations related to NIS law, dereliction of duty, perjury, destruction of evidence, and creating false official documents, all linked to the December 3 martial law declaration.

Cho, who was regarded as a close confidant of Yoon, is accused of not reporting the martial law plan to the National Assembly, despite being aware of it before Yoon's public address. Furthermore, he allegedly failed to inform the Assembly after learning that military forces planned to detain opposition leader Lee Jae Myung and ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon under the martial law directive.

The NIS Act mandates that its director must report situations with significant national security implications to both the National Assembly and the president. The special counsel's team also believes Cho falsely testified at both the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court by denying any knowledge of the martial law decree or related documents at the presidential office. CCTV footage later contradicted his claims, showing Cabinet members, including Cho, handling what appeared to be such documents at the presidential office.

Cho is the first member of Yoon's administration to be arrested in connection with the martial law attempt since former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min's arrest in August.