In South Korea, prosecutors have brought to light allegations against a Presidential bodyguard who is accused of querying ChatGPT about sensitive topics such as “martial law,” “declaration of martial law,” and “dissolution of the National Assembly” on December 3, 2024. According to court findings, Lee Kwang-woo, the head of the Presidential Security Service, made these inquiries just two hours prior to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s announcement of martial law, suggesting that Lee may have had prior knowledge of the President’s intentions.

The Presidential Security Service (PSS) of South Korea has been embroiled in controversy and legal issues since President Yoon’s brief and unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law late last year. Although Yoon’s “self-coup” lasted only about six hours, its aftermath has had lasting consequences. Yoon has faced impeachment, arrest, and subsequent release, and is currently awaiting the court’s decision on whether he will be removed from office.

Prosecutors faced significant challenges in bringing Yoon to court. The PSS, akin to the US Secret Service but more comparable to the Roman Praetorian Guard in terms of loyalty and power, was once one of the most influential agencies in the country. Following the martial law declaration, Yoon retreated to a compound in central Seoul, where the PSS established a cordon consisting of 200 troops and 10 buses. This cordon successfully rebuffed initial attempts by prosecutors to arrest Yoon, as reported by the New York Times.

Lee, who leads the PSS’s bodyguard division and has been known to use ChatGPT, played a significant role in the events surrounding Yoon’s arrest. During the second attempt to arrest Yoon in January, Lee suggested that the PSS could use gunfire to deter prosecutors. Although he complied with the suggestion, no shots were fired, and prosecutors were able to serve the warrant and arrest Yoon. According to the South China Morning Post, Lee instructed his team to arm themselves with MP7s, stating, “If the secondary gate is breached, run out with the submachine guns.”

Lee and other members of the PSS have been implicated in the impeachment proceedings. Lee faces charges of obstruction of justice related to his actions in protecting the President and the potential deletion of digital records pertinent to the case. It was within these records that investigators allegedly discovered Lee’s inquiries to ChatGPT on December 3, 2024.

A report by the South Korean daily newspaper The Hankyoreh revealed that Lee asked the AI about the consequences of Yoon declaring martial law at 8:30 p.m., two hours before the President’s announcement. While Lee’s lawyer acknowledged that Lee had asked ChatGPT about martial law, he disputed the timing, claiming that the inquiry occurred after Yoon’s declaration. However, if Lee conducted the search before the declaration, it would imply that he had knowledge of his boss’s plans.

As the trials related to the events of December 3 continue, it is crucial for prosecutors and the public to understand the sequence of events and who was aware of what information and when. The question remains whether Lee collaborated with Yoon or simply reacted to his plot. Lee’s interactions with ChatGPT may hold the key to answering these questions.

In a recent development, The Hankyoreh reported that the court has dismissed some of the obstruction charges against Lee and other PSS members.