Seoul: Ex-spy chief Cho Tae-yong has been sentenced to 1 1/2 years in prison by a Seoul court for providing false testimony related to the martial law imposed briefly by former President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024. The Seoul Central District Court found Cho guilty of making false statements at the Constitutional Court, where he claimed he had not received any martial law-related documents from Yoon.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho was also convicted of fabricating public documents to submit such written testimonies. The court's sentence was significantly less than the seven-year prison term sought by special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team, who had indicted Cho on additional charges, including dereliction of duty.

The prosecution accused Cho of failing to alert the National Assembly about Yoon's martial law plan, which allegedly involved mobilizing troops to seal off the National Assembly and detain politicians. By law, the NIS director is required to report any situation with a significant impact on national security to both the president and the parliamentary intelligence committee without delay.

Despite these accusations, the court acquitted Cho of the charge, citing the possibility that he may have perceived the martial law plan as a mere rumor. However, the court stated, "The defendant made false statements and created false public documents in order to reduce his own responsibility. The nature of the crime is not light."