Jeon Ik-su, Demoted from Brigadier General to Colonel "Unprecedented Disciplinary Action Since Democratization"

Jeon Ik-su, former Chief Legal Officer of the Air Force Headquarters, identified as responsible for the inadequate initial investigation in the case of the late Sergeant Lee Ye-ram, a victim of military sexual violence.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Jeon Ik-su, former Legal Affairs Director (age 52), who had been criticized for his responsibility in the inadequate investigation of the late Air Force Staff Sergeant Lee Yeram case, has been demoted by one rank from Brigadier General ('one star') to Colonel. This is the first time a general has been demoted in the military since democratization.

According to the military on the 26th, the Ministry of National Defense passed a disciplinary plan to demote Jeon on the 18th and reported it to President Yoon Seok-yeol, who approved it on the 22nd.

According to the Military Personnel Act, 'demotion' means lowering one rank from the current rank. Since this disciplinary action is an administrative measure that takes effect immediately, Jeon was promptly demoted to Colonel.

This is the first demotion of a general since the civilian government was established. During the December 12 military coup in 1979, Army Chief of Staff Jeong Seunghwa was demoted to Private by the rebels. There were also general demotions during the earlier Park Chung-hee administration.

The military reportedly kept Jeon in his current position considering that he was not effectively performing the duties of the Legal Affairs Director, his imminent discharge, and the upcoming personnel reshuffle in the second half of the year.

Jeon can appeal the disciplinary action within 30 days from the date of notification. If Jeon's appeal is rejected, he is expected to be discharged as a Colonel next month as scheduled.

Jeon was suspected of being responsible for the inadequate initial investigation during the process leading to the extreme choice of Staff Sergeant Lee Yeram of the Air Force 20th Fighter Wing, who was sexually harassed by a senior non-commissioned officer on March 2 last year and subsequently died by suicide on May 21 while the military prosecution investigation was ongoing. Although the military prosecution later investigated and prosecuted 15 people, the Legal Affairs leadership including Jeon did not indict anyone.

Subsequently, the special prosecutor team led by Ahn Mi-young, launched later, indicted eight additional people related to the case including Jeon in September. Jeon is accused of coercion of interview under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes for calling a military prosecutor to question the arrest warrant for Yang Mo (age 49), a civilian military employee who provided him with confidential information related to the case, in July last year, saying "the warrant is wrong." However, allegations that he directed a non-custodial investigation of the perpetrator have not been proven.