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South Korea Navy Chief Suspended Over Alleged Role in 2024 Martial Law Bid

South Korea's defence ministry has excluded Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Kang Dong-gil from duty over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 martial law imposition. This action follows the similar suspension of Ground Operations Commander General Joo Sung-un, marking the second high-ranking officer removed. A months-long investigation identified approximately 180 military personnel as having been involved in the short-lived martial law bid. The probe also found that around 1,600 personnel from various commands were mobilized on the night of the imposition, with more than half dispatched to the National Assembly.

Key Points: S. Korea Navy Chief Suspended Over Martial Law Allegations

  • Navy chief excluded from duty
  • Second four-star general suspended
  • Probe identifies 180 involved personnel
  • Over 1,600 mobilized on martial law night
3 min read

South Korea's defence ministry excludes Navy chief from duty over alleged martial law involvement

South Korea's defence ministry suspends Navy chief over alleged involvement in former President Yoon's 2024 martial law bid, following a similar action against an Army commander.

South Korea's defence ministry excludes Navy chief from duty over alleged martial law involvement
"The defence ministry excluded the chief of naval operations as of Friday as allegations in relation to the insurrection case have been identified - Ministry Spokesperson Chung Binna"

Seoul, Feb 13

South Korea's defence ministry said Friday it has excluded Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Kang Dong-gil from duty over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid in late 2024.

The move came a day after the ministry took a similar action against Ground Operations Commander General Joo Sung-un over suspicions of martial law involvement, marking the second such suspension of a four-star general appointed under South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration.

"The defence ministry excluded the chief of naval operations as of Friday as allegations in relation to the insurrection case have been identified," ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said in a briefing, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Kang, who served as chief of the directorate of military support at the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time of the martial law imposition, was among the seven top-brass officers appointed as four-star generals in September last year.

The deputy chief of the Navy will serve as acting Navy chief following Friday's decision, the ministry said, adding disciplinary action will be considered for Kang.

On Thursday, the ministry said it has identified around 180 personnel as having been involved in the martial law imposition following a monthslong probe into about 860 general-level and field-grade officers.

It also concluded that some 1,600 personnel across the military affiliated with the Army, counterintelligence command, special operations command and Defence Intelligence Command were found to have been mobilised on the night of the martial law imposition.

On Thursday, South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said 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 necessary disciplinary action.

Ahn released the figure as he announced the outcome of a monthslong investigation by the ministry's task force into about 860 general-level and field-grade officers from 24 military commands and units allegedly to have been involved in the martial law imposition in December 2024.

More than 100 personnel from the ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and different military branches took part in the probe aimed at determining 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, counterintelligence command, special operations command and Defence Intelligence Command were found to have been mobilized on the night of the martial law imposition.

More than half of them were dispatched to the National Assembly, while the remaining were sent to the National Election Commission.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Reading this from Seoul. The scale is shocking—180 personnel involved, 1600 mobilized. It shows how deep the rot was. The new administration is doing the right thing by cleaning house, but the trust in the institution is badly damaged.
R
Rohit P
A four-star admiral! This is a serious matter. Military leadership must never be involved in political games. Hope the investigation is thorough and fair. Makes you appreciate the discipline in our own forces even more.
P
Priya S
Sending troops to the National Assembly and Election Commission? That's a direct assault on democracy. South Korea is a strong ally, and it's worrying to see such instability. Hope they root out everyone involved and restore faith in their institutions.
V
Vikram M
While the action is necessary, one must also be cautious. A new government investigating appointees of the previous one can sometimes look like a political witch hunt. The process must be transparent to avoid that perception.
K
Kavya N
The fact that this happened in a developed democracy like South Korea is eye-opening. It shows that the values of democracy need constant vigilance to protect, everywhere. Jai Hind.

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