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Counterintelligence command officials suspended from duties for alleged role in martial law

Published: 08 Dec. 2024, 14:10 Updated: 10 Dec. 2024, 15:34

Commander Lee Jin-woo from the Capital Defense Command, center, talks during an interview with Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byung-joo, left, aired on YouTube Kim's YouTube channel on Friday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Brig. Gen. Jeong Seong-woo, chief of the First Division at the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and Brig. Gen. Kim Dae-woo, chief of the command’s investigation unit, have been suspended from their duties in connection with Tuesday night’s declaration of martial law.

“The individuals whose duties were suspended have been reassigned to units in the metropolitan area, with an investigation in consideration,” the Ministry of National Defense said Sunday.

Military authorities took similar action against three high-ranking officials on Friday: Lt. Gen. Lee Jin-woo of the Capital Defense Command; Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun of the Army Special Warfare Command; and Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung of the Defense Counterintelligence Command.

Brig. Gen. Jeong previously served as chief of staff to Yeo, who was deeply involved in the martial law declaration, until the end of last month. Media reports have alleged that on Tuesday, approximately an hour before martial law was declared, he attended a preliminary meeting with the Defense Counterintelligence Command leadership, including Yeo, regarding the martial law declaration.

Brig. Gen. Kim is under suspicion of having issued orders to arrest key politicians during martial law and of dispatching personnel from the Defense Counterintelligence Command’s investigation unit to the arrest teams.

“Further suspicions were raised by the National Assembly and the media, and there was a recommendation from the Acting Commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command,” said a Defense Ministry official.

The Defense Counterintelligence Command has faced allegations of attempting to arrest prominent political figures, including Lee Jae-myung, leader of the liberal Democratic Party, and Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the conservative People Power Party, through its arrest teams during Tuesday’s martial law, as well as planning the operation in advance and drafting the declaration.

Yeo is an alumnus of Choongam High School, the same school attended by President Yoon Suk Yeol and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]