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2nd martial law not in the works: Defense Ministry, JCS, Army

Published: 06 Dec. 2024, 13:16 Updated: 06 Dec. 2024, 14:07

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

Army Special Warfare Commander Kwak Jong-keun [YONHAP]

Martial law will not be declared again, the Ministry of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and Army Special Warfare Command all said Friday.

The Center for Military Human Rights Korea had previously claimed earlier on the same day that there was “evidence” for a movement among the military for a second declaration of martial law.

A Defense Ministry senior official said during an emergency questions session of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee in response to a question from lawmakers that there were “no military measures taken at the ministerial level” and that “there is no need for concerns about a second martial law.”

A JCS official echoed these statements as well.

In the unlikely scenario that a command for a second martial law is given, the Army Special Warfare Command will refuse to follow, Commander Kwak Jong-keun said the same day.

The Army Special Warfare Command is a strategic-level military command of the Republic of Korea Army responsible for special operation forces and is one of the key military units along with the Defense Counterintelligence Command and the Capital Defense Command.

“At the time of martial law, we received orders from former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to force the people inside the National Assembly building out,” said Kwak during a meeting with Democratic Party lawmakers at the command’s headquarters on Friday.

“I judged that dragging out lawmakers was clearly illegal, and so though it would be considered disobedience I did not follow orders,” said Kwak.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]