SEOUL, Feb 12 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Thursday that the ministry has identified around 180 military personnel as having been involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law bid in late 2024 and plans to further investigate them and take the necessary disciplinary action.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn released the figure as he announced the outcome of a months-long investigation by the ministry's task force into about 860 general-level and field-grade officers from 24 military commands and units alleged to have been involved in the imposition of martial law in December 2024.
More than 100 personnel from the ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and different military branches took part in the probe, which aimed to determine the extent of their involvement, whether they had decision-making authority and what roles they played in the martial law bid, according to the ministry.
Overall, the probe found that some 1,600 personnel across the military affiliated with the Army, the Counterintelligence Command, the Special Operations Command and the Defence Intelligence Command were mobilised on the night the martial law was imposed.
More than half of them were dispatched to the National Assembly, while the remainder were sent to the National Election Commission.
In a fresh development, the ministry said it has also suspended Ground Operations Commander Gen. Joo Sung-un from duty and referred him for a probe over suspicions of involvement in the martial law imposition.
Joo, who served as chief of the Army’s 1st Corps at the time of the martial law bid, was the commander of the then chief of the 2nd Armoured Brigade, which was allegedly involved in the imposition.
Ahn, who announced Joo's suspension during the press briefing, said he could not elaborate on the allegations surrounding Joo at the current stage as a probe is under way.
Through the investigation, the ministry said it has confirmed circumstances involving the Defence Intelligence Command plotting in advance to take over the state-run election watchdog, as well as the Defence Counterintelligence Command and the ministry's investigative headquarters seeking to detain key politicians.
A total of 35 people have so far been subjected to heavy disciplinary measures, the ministry said, referring to a series of removals and dismissals of senior military officers. Of them, 29 have appealed against their cases.
Alongside disciplinary measures imposed by the ministry, three general-level officers and five colonel-level officers have been indicted for playing key roles in the botched martial law bid, it said.
"Following the announcement, we will firmly strive to rid the dishonour that has tainted the military and rebuild a military for the people," Ahn said.
The ministry said it plans to conduct follow-up probes into allegations involving the defence counterintelligence and intelligence commands that had previously been restricted due to their confidential roles.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
