The Ministry of National Defense at the Center of 'Emergency Martial Law'... Persistent Suspicions [Yang Nakgyu's Defence Club]

Former Minister Kim Who Proposed Martial Law to President Yoon Dismissed
Possibility of Prearranged Martial Law Centered on 'Chungam High School Line'

The Ministry of National Defense has been cornered due to the martial law incident. As it stands at the center of controversy for allegedly leading the martial law, suspicions continue to arise.

Yonhap News

At the center of the martial law incident is the so-called ‘Chungam High School line.’ The key figure is former Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who is one year senior to President Yoon at Chungam High School, his alma mater. Former Minister Kim proposed and led the declaration of martial law. When Kim was the head of the Presidential Security Service, he called in Yeo In-hyung, Commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, Lee Jin-woo, Commander of the Capital Defense Command, and Kwak Jong-geun, Commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, to his official residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, for a meeting. Commander Yeo is also a Chungam High School alumnus. When the Martial Law Command was organized, the Joint Investigation Headquarters, a key position responsible for martial law investigation duties, is usually headed by the Counterintelligence Commander. Although Commanders Lee and Kwak, who attended the meeting at Director Kim’s residence, are not Chungam High School alumni, they are suspected to be key participants. The units they command were deployed during the December 12 incident, a coup led by Chun Doo-hwan’s new military group, to seize control of the Ministry of National Defense.

Possibility of Prearranged Martial Law Centered on Chungam High School

It is necessary to investigate whether there was any prearranged planning of martial law centered around these individuals. Former Minister Kim has previously responded negatively about martial law. During the September National Assembly confirmation hearing, he countered opposition party’s martial law accusations as ‘false agitation.’ At the October military court audit, he said, “There is no practical benefit to declaring martial law in a National Assembly dominated by the opposition.” However, two months later, he reversed his stance by proposing martial law to the president.

Deployment of Martial Law Troops to the National Assembly Not Provided for by Law

The deployment of martial law troops to the National Assembly must also be scrutinized. Article 77, Paragraph 3 of the Constitution states that during the declaration of emergency martial law, measures can be taken against the executive branch, judiciary, and media, but there is no basis for measures against the National Assembly. Under the Martial Law Act, the Martial Law Commander’s authority is limited to administrative and judicial powers, excluding legislative power. The reason for excluding the National Assembly under the Martial Law Act is to prevent arbitrary decisions by the president. Article 77, Paragraph 5 of the Constitution also states that if a majority of the National Assembly members request the lifting of martial law, the president must comply, reflecting the same principle.

On the 5th, the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly plans to hold a plenary session to conduct urgent inquiries regarding the circumstances of President Yoon Seok-yeol’s declaration and lifting of martial law. Those summoned include former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Army Chief of Staff Park An-soo who was appointed Martial Law Commander, Kwak Jong-geun, Commander of the Army Special Warfare Command who mobilized martial law troops from his unit, Yeo In-hyung, Commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and Lee Jin-woo, Commander of the Capital Defense Command. However, since President Yoon approved former Minister Kim’s resignation and appointed Choi Byung-hyuk, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as the new Minister of National Defense, attendance at the meeting remains uncertain.

Military Diplomatic Schedules Canceled One After Another Due to Martial Law Fallout

The fallout from the martial law incident is expected to have repercussions on military diplomacy going forward. It has already caused disruptions to the Korea-US joint exercises. The US Department of Defense announced that the 4th Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting and the 1st NCG tabletop exercise (TTX), scheduled to be held in Washington, D.C. over two days starting on the 4th, have been postponed. The NCG is considered one of the biggest diplomatic achievements between President Yoon and President Biden in strengthening deterrence against North Korea.

Additionally, the Korea-Kazakhstan Defense Ministers’ meeting scheduled for the 5th was canceled. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who was originally scheduled to visit Korea from the 5th to the 7th along with his foreign and defense ministers to meet President Yoon Seok-yeol, also postponed the visit. The visit of former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, planned for mid-month, has reportedly been canceled. Japanese media have reported that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is coordinating a visit to Korea in early January next year to meet President Yoon, but this too is likely to be affected.

Internal schedules have also been canceled. The performance analysis meeting for the recruitment of Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets, originally scheduled for the same day, was postponed, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff also delayed the 2024 second half integrated defense promotion evaluation meeting, among other internal military schedules being postponed one after another.