Broadcaster Kim Ou-joon speaks as a reference witness during a National Assembly inquiry on Dec. 3 martial law-related issues on Friday, revealing claims of an assassination plan targeting People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon. Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwon

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) expressed skepticism over broadcaster Kim Ou-joon's recent claims regarding an "assassination squad" allegedly active during the Dec. 3 martial law incident, dismissing them as "highly embellished with fictional elements."

Kim had said that he received intelligence from a foreign agency that martial law forces planned to assassinate People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon and stage the event as a North Korean operation.

He added that there were further plans to use armed North Korean drones, plant North Korean military uniforms as fake evidence and trigger U.S. military strikes by targeting American soldiers.

However, a DPK internal document obtained by the Hankook Ilbo on Tuesday concluded that Kim's claims lack credibility. It stated that the narrative appears constructed by blending limited past knowledge with exaggerated and fictional details, exploiting the confidentiality of institutional information.

The document specifically questioned the feasibility of using weaponized drones, explaining that most drones globally, including those deployed by North Korea, are designed for kamikaze attacks rather than carrying weapons. North Korean drones known to be capable of weapon attachments have not been proven operational and would be impractical for covert missions due to their large size.

Further doubts were raised about claims of disguising the operation as a North Korean scheme by planting military uniforms, with the document pointing out that North Korean agents typically avoid such tactics, instead using civilian or allied military clothing for infiltration.

While the document largely dismissed Kim's claims, it refrained from making conclusions about some parts of the narrative, citing a lack of detailed information.

Kim acknowledged that his statements were based on unverified intelligence, sparking mixed reactions within the DPK.

Some figures, such as former four-star Gen. Kim Byeong-joo, supported the possibility of the claims, saying they were worth serious consideration. Others, including lawmaker Bu Seung-chan, expressed doubts, questioning whether such intricate plans could realistically have been developed and executed.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.