Presidential residence computers removed, formatted during martial law probe

Eight computers from the presidential residence were reportedly removed and formatted during the period when prosecutors and police were intensifying their investigation into a potential martial law declaration. This revelation has led to former presidential aides Yoon Jae-soon and Kang Eui-gu being sent to prosecutors on charges of destroying evidence.

The Presidential Security Service's Special Investigation Unit announced on July 14 that Yoon, former secretary for general affairs, and Kang, former deputy secretary for the first secretariat, were sent to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office without detention. The charges stem from their alleged actions in mid-December 2024, shortly after the declaration of a state of emergency on December 3. They are accused of mobilizing administrative staff from the presidential office's General Affairs, Information, and Security Team to illicitly remove and format eight computers from the presidential residence.

Police believe these actions were an attempt to destroy evidence amid the escalating internal investigations into the alleged martial law declaration. The special unit initiated its investigation into this matter in January and concluded its inquiry after approximately six months before referring the two individuals to the prosecution.

Separately, the special unit has also completed its supplementary investigation into the 'presidential office computer reset incident in April 2025,' which had been requested by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. This case involves former Chief of Staff Jung Jin-suk and Yoon Jae-soon, who are accused of ordering the reset of all computers within the presidential office immediately after former President Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached by the Constitutional Court in April 2025. This order was allegedly intended to destroy evidence related to the martial law investigation. The special unit had previously referred Jung and Yoon to prosecutors without detention in February for this incident.