South Korea Martial Law Disciplinary Action: 5 Senior Officers Severely Punished
South Korea's defense ministry has imposed severe disciplinary actions, including removal and dismissal, on five senior Army officers for their involvement in the failed Dec 3 martial law bid.
The uniform offers no shield against insurrection. South Korea's defense ministry has handed down the harshest possible punishments to the generals who led the failed December 3, 2024, martial law bid, signaling a zero-tolerance policy toward constitutional violations.
Defense Ministry Imposes Severe Penalties for Failed Martial Law Bid
According to Yonhap News, the defense ministry decided to take "severe" disciplinary action against five senior Army officers following a committee meeting earlier this month. The decision targeted high-ranking officials involved in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived attempt to impose martial law last year.
Former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, Yeo In-hyung, and former chief of the Capital Defense Command, Lee Jin-woo, face "removal" from office—the most stringent disciplinary measure in the military. This penalty results in significant losses in pension and post-service benefits. Meanwhile, Kwak Jong-keun, the former commander of the Special Warfare Command, and a former Army vice chief of staff were handed "dismissal," the second-highest level of punishment.
Accountability for the Night That Shook Seoul
The disciplined officers are currently on trial for their roles in an insurrection. They stand accused of deploying troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission on the night martial law was declared. While Kwak Jong-keun's punishment was slightly mitigated due to his subsequent cooperation in uncovering the truth, the overall message is clear: military power must never be turned against democratic institutions.
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