"Who Could Have Foreseen Martial Law?"... Tension and Fatigue Rise Amid Insurrection Probe [Gwangga in]

Office for Government Policy Coordination Responds to Privacy Concerns: "This Is Not Forensics"
Uncertainty Leaves Government Officials Uneasy
Ongoing Controversy Leads to Declining Morale Among Younger Staff

The Government Complex in Sejong is once again in a state of unrest after the Office for Government Policy Coordination announced plans to operate the "Constitutional Respect Government Innovation Task Force (TF)" with the aim of eliminating insurrectionist elements. While some believe there will be no issues since they are already aware of the situation following the December 3 Martial Law incident, others remain tense, concerned that problems could arise due to the unclear scope of the investigation. With various investigations ongoing for nearly a year, many are experiencing fatigue and a decline in morale.

The Government Sejong Complex.

On the 13th, the Office for Government Policy Coordination revised and redistributed its plan for the Constitutional Respect Government Innovation TF after 11 p.m. the previous day. Previously, when the plan was first announced on the 11th, concerns about privacy violations arose over the mention of digital forensic investigations. In response, the office removed the term "forensic" from the revised plan, clarifying that it was not intended in the strict sense of the word. With the likelihood increasing that work computers and mobile phones will be examined, the office also addressed the point that non-cooperation in submitting mobile phones could result in suspension or removal from position, stating, "This does not mean that such measures will be taken solely for refusing to submit a device."

Although the Office for Government Policy Coordination is trying to alleviate concerns, the response among government officials remains serious. Some say, "We only learned about the situation after the martial law incident broke out, so what problems could there be?" but concerns persist. Although the investigation procedures and review items have been outlined, they remain ambiguous, and confusion could increase if the reporting center, which will be operated in the future, is flooded with anonymous tips. The office has announced that, based on a dual structure of an overall TF and investigation TFs for each institution, it will target as subjects of investigation those who participated in premeditation or execution of an insurrection, as well as in post-justification and concealment of the truth.

The institutions mentioned by the Office for Government Policy Coordination as subjects of investigation include all 49 central administrative agencies, excluding those directly under the President and independent agencies. Among these, 12 agencies-including the military (Joint Chiefs of Staff), the prosecution, the police, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the National Fire Agency, and the Korea Coast Guard-have been designated for intensive inspection. In particular, the Ministry of Economy and Finance is under significant tension and fatigue, having already faced various investigations and organizational restructuring issues, and now being subject to this intensive investigation as well.

An official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Since there was an agenda item related to the ministry at the Cabinet meeting on the 11th, several staff members were watching the live broadcast. The TF was mentioned for the first time there, so everyone was quite surprised," he said. He added, "What we are concerned about is the scope-how far it will reach. They say they will look at a ten-month period before and after martial law, but the period is broad, and it is very unclear what constitutes (insurrection) support, so naturally, the atmosphere is unsettled."

As a result, some have resigned themselves, saying, "If we just submit our phones, it will prove our innocence and prevent unnecessary suspicion." Some younger staff members are showing signs of low morale due to the ongoing controversy and pressure that has lasted nearly a year since the martial law incident. An official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "How much illegal activity could a civil servant really engage in?" However, some speculate that the investigation has already targeted specific individuals, citing the fact that personnel measures are expected to take less than three months and certain individuals have already been mentioned in the National Assembly and elsewhere.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination maintains that the purpose is not to punish or condemn specific individuals, but rather to resolve administrative difficulties that have arisen since martial law. An official from the office explained, "In organizations like the military or police, personnel changes have been stagnant, and things have not been properly sorted out, leading to difficulties. Through this investigation, if we can organize the situation in each agency and take action regarding those involved, we will be able to bring things to a close and conduct proper administration."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.