Martial Law Troops Believed They Were Heading to a North Korean Threat: Deception or Mistake?

Reports have surfaced that military forces deployed to the National Assembly after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration were led to believe they were responding to a North Korean threat.

Rep. Park Sun Won of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Defense Committee, revealed on Wednesday that multiple soldiers involved in the alleged illegal coup on Tuesday had come forward with information about the internal dynamics and missions of the martial law troops.

According to Park, units deployed to the National Assembly immediately following Yoon’s announcement included elements of the Army Special Warfare Command’s 707th Special Mission Battalion, which had reportedly been placed on standby since Monday.

Park stated that around 8 PM on Tuesday, members of the 707th received a text message warning of a serious situation involving North Korea and the possibility of immediate deployment.

The 707th personnel were bewildered upon arrival at the National Assembly via helicopter. Despite believing they were responding to a North Korean threat, they had not received specific mission directives.

Park explained that once on-site, the 707th was tasked with “blocking” access, while a separate team with civilian detention authority under martial law was designated for potential arrests.

The Army Special Operations Aviation Group submitted flight plans for twelve helicopters, including UH-60P Black Hawks, on Tuesday morning, suggesting that martial law preparations had been underway since Monday.

Allegations have emerged that military leadership may have deliberately misled troops about the nature of their deployment.

A former Army captain and military YouTuber known as “Korea Sejin” claimed that Special Warfare Command personnel received misleading information starting around 8 PM on Monday.

According to the YouTuber, text messages sent to troops included warnings about a serious North Korean situation, potential immediate deployment, the use of helicopters for missions, and the Defense Minister’s alleged statement about prioritizing the 707th for developing problems.

The National Assembly reports that approximately 280 martial law troops entered the complex following President Yoon’s declaration. These forces reportedly withdrew after a resolution to lift martial law passed with 190 votes in favor out of 190 members present.