Lee Jin-woo (general)

Lee began serving in the Republic of Korea Army in 1992. He was promoted to colonel in 2014, and to brigadier general in 2018. He was promoted to lieutenant general in November 2023, along with Yeo In-hyung and Kwak Jong-geun.^[4]

On 3 December 2024, Yoon declared emergency martial law across the nation during a televised address. In his declaration, Yoon accused the Democratic Party (DPK), which has a majority in the National Assembly, of conducting "anti-state activities" and collaborating with "North Korean communists" to destroy the country, thereby creating a "legislative dictatorship". The order prohibited political activities, including gatherings of the National Assembly and local legislatures, and suspended the free press.

The declaration was opposed by both parties and resulted in protests. At 01:02 on 4 December, 190 legislators who had arrived at the National Assembly Proceeding Hall unanimously passed a motion to lift martial law,^[5] despite attempts by the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command to prevent the vote.

Subsequent investigations revealed that President Yoon ordered Lee and Kwak Jong-keun to break through the plenary chamber doors to drag the lawmakers out at 00:40 to 00:50 hours, which was too late as the lawmakers had begun the session to end martial law at that time. In the indictment of Kim Yong-hyun on 27 December by the special prosecution team, it also revealed Yoon told Commander Lee; "Break down the doors, even if it means shooting." Upon finding out about the National Assembly vote being passed, Yoon denied it was legitimate at first, and told Commander Lee, "It's not even confirmed that 190 people came in. Even if martial law was lifted, I just have to declare martial law two or three more times, so keep going."^[6]

At 04:30, Yoon and his cabinet lifted martial law and soon disbanded the Martial Law Command. The opposition subsequently began impeachment proceedings against Yoon and said it would continue to do so if he did not resign. On 6 December, Lee's Capital Defense Command commander duties were suspended by the Ministry of Justice.^[2] He was travel barred on 9 December by the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters' Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Unit, along with Kwak Jong-geun.^[7]

On 13 December, Lee was arrested for his role in the declaration.^[3] Lee was officially dishonorably discharged on 20 January 2025.