Anti-Yoon protesters attend a rally on Dec 3, 2025, to mark the first anniversary of former president Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration. - Photo: Reuters
SEOUL: South Korea’s Defence Ministry said on Monday (Jan 5) that it has imposed disciplinary measures on four army lieutenant-generals and one army colonel over their alleged involvement in former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on Dec 3, 2024.
According to the ministry, the disciplinary committee decided to dismiss Yeo In-hyeong, former commander of the Defence Counter-intelligence Command (DCC), and Lee Jin-woo, former commander of the Army Capital Defence Command, citing violations of the duty to comply with laws and the duty of sincerity.
Kwak Jong-geun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, was removed from service for the same violations, while former army vice-chief of staff Koh Hyeon-seok was dismissed for violating the duty to comply with laws.
One colonel was suspended for two months for violating the duty of sincerity, the ministry said.
Dismissal is the heaviest form of military punishment, barring reappointment to public office for five years and cutting retirement benefits. Removal from service restricts reappointment for three years but does not reduce pension benefits.
Kwak had initially faced dismissal but received a reduced penalty of removal after the committee took into account his cooperation with investigations and testimony in court proceedings aimed at uncovering the facts surrounding the incident, the ministry said.
The disciplinary action follows a review by a ministry-led disciplinary panel convened on July 19 to examine the conduct of senior officers accused of playing key roles in the Dec 3 martial law episode.
The ministry said former army official Koh was dismissed over suspicions that he had ordered troops to board a bus on the night of the martial law declaration, an action allegedly linked to preparations for a second phase of martial law.
Trials for Yeo, Lee Jin-woo and Kwak – all accused of playing critical roles in Yoon’s martial law scheme – have been transferred to the Seoul Central District Court at the request of a special counsel tasked with investigating the martial law case.
The ministry added that disciplinary proceedings against Major-General Moon Sang-ho, former commander of the Korea Defence Intelligence Command, have not yet concluded and were therefore excluded from the announcement on Jan 5.
Earlier in January, the Defence Ministry dismissed Brigadier-General Lee Jae-sik, who served as planning chief of the martial law command, and demoted Brig-Gen Kim Seung-wan, a former acting head of the Defence Ministry’s Investigation Headquarters, over their involvement in the incident.
Disciplinary results were also announced for a colonel from the DCC who, despite receiving orders to deploy troops on the day of the declaration, delayed movement instead of proceeding to the assigned site. The officer was suspended for two months for dereliction of duty, the ministry said. - The Korea Herald/ANN
