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Defense Ministry suspends duties of three senior military officials

Published: 06 Dec. 2024, 18:08

LEE SOO-JUNG
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Deputy Defense Minister and acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho steps toward a podium during a press briefing in central Seoul on Friday. [YONHAP]

The Ministry of National Defense said on Friday it took measures to suspend the duties of three senior military officials, along with requesting a travel ban on 10 active soldiers who were allegedly involved in the imposition of martial law that took place late Tuesday night.

The ministry informed reporters through a message saying it “conducted a measure to suspend duties of Lee Jin-woo, a commanding officer from the Capital Defense Command, Kwak Jong-keun from the Army Special Warfare Command and Yeo In-hyung, commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command.”

Such a measure is seemingly intended to curb suspicions around the enactment of secondary martial law.

The measure effectively detaches the senior military officials from their original posts. Lee was relocated to the Ground Operations Command and Kwak was referred to the Capital Corps. Yeo was ordered to be in a standby position at the Defense Ministry.

On the same day, the Defense Ministry Prosecutors' Office also submitted a request to the Ministry of Justice to issue a travel ban against 10 military officers who have been accused on charges of treason for their alleged involvement in the martial law incident.

Lee, Kwak, and Yeo are among the 10 military officers who are subjected to possible travel bans. The ban also includes Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su who was named the martial law commander, three brigade commanders and three other commanders in the rank of colonel.

Military prosecution said it would proactively cooperate in a probe with the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]