Suspicions of 180,000 Rounds of Ammunition Issued During Martial Law... "Were They Trying to Create a Second Gwangju?" vs "Absolutely No Use"

Min Hongcheol Claims "Over 180,000 Rounds Issued"
Kwak Jonggeun States "Ordered Not to Distribute Live Ammunition to Individuals"
Kim Seonho, Acting Defense Minister, Says "Will Report After Investigation"

On the 14th, allegations were raised that airborne troops deployed to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission during the 12·3 emergency martial law issued approximately 180,000 rounds of ammunition, including live bullets, from ammunition depots.

According to data received by Min Hong-cheol, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea and part of the 'Special Committee for the National Investigation into the Charges of Insurrection through the Declaration of Emergency Martial Law by the Yoon Seok-yeol Government,' from the Army Special Warfare Command, on the day of martial law, the 3rd Airborne Special Forces Brigade (3rd Airborne Brigade) handed over 43,260 rounds, and the 9th Airborne Special Forces Brigade (9th Airborne Brigade) handed over 88,127 rounds from ammunition depots to operational units. The 3rd Airborne Brigade was deployed to the National Election Commission Gwacheon Office and the Election Training Center in Suwon, while the 9th Airborne Brigade was deployed to the National Election Commission Gwanak Office and the public opinion polling company 'Yeoronjoosa Kkot.' The actual ammunition brought to the election commission by the 3rd and 9th Airborne Brigades was 14,140 rounds and 32,388 rounds, respectively. Previously, it was reported that the 1st Airborne Brigade, which was deployed to the National Assembly, had prepared 50,400 rounds loaded in vehicles from the ammunition depot. Adding these together amounts to over approximately 180,000 rounds.

On the 14th, a plenary meeting of the 'Special Committee for the National Investigation into the Alleged Insurrection through the Declaration of Martial Law by the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration' was held at the National Assembly. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

During martial law, the 3rd Airborne Brigade instructed the troops deployed to the election commission to carry personal rifles and 10 rounds of blank ammunition in their ammunition pouches, while live ammunition was sealed and stored in boxes in the battalion command vehicle. The 9th Airborne Brigade sent an advance party of 118 soldiers carrying individual military gear first to the National Election Commission Gwanak Office, followed by a rear party of 22 soldiers who carried artillery shells, live ammunition, and smoke grenades loaded on a 2.5-ton truck. Immediately after the declaration of martial law, the 707 Special Mission Unit, which broke the glass windows of the National Assembly building and entered inside, received 6,040 rounds of ammunition, including 5.56mm blank rounds, from the ammunition depot.

On the same day, Representative Min criticized during the special committee session, saying, "President Yoon Seok-yeol insists that this is a 'warning martial law' and a 'peaceful martial law.' However, the deployed martial law troops were put on standby with over 180,000 rounds of ammunition," and questioned, "Wasn't this an attempt to turn Seoul into a second Gwangju?"

Special Warfare Commander Gwak Jong-geun is attending the plenary meeting of the "Special Committee on the National Investigation into the Alleged Insurrection Charges through the Declaration of Martial Law by the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration" held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

In response, Kwak Jong-geun, former commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, who appeared as a witness that day, said, "I do not remember the exact number of rounds," but explained, "I clearly conveyed the operational order that live ammunition must never be given to individuals and must be stored collectively. It was never planned to be used."

When questions became conflicting, Ahn Kyu-baek, chairman of the investigation special committee, asked Kim Seon-ho, acting Minister of National Defense (Vice Minister), "How many rounds of ammunition did the Ministry of National Defense investigate?"

Acting Minister Kim replied, "We have identified that the troops who actually deployed carried about 49,000 rounds of ammunition, but we have not thoroughly identified how many rounds were issued from the garrison ammunition depots without deployment," and added, "We will investigate and report accurately during the (national) investigation period."