Concerns are emerging in South Korea about the military’s emergency readiness against North Korean threats, as multiple Generals and commanders have been removed or suspended from their duties for potential involvement in last week’s short-lived imposition of martial law.
In addition to former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who stepped down and was arrested on charges of playing a key role in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on December 3, six Generals have so far been suspended for their involvement, including the chiefs of the Defence Intelligence, Capital Defense and Special Warfare commands.
In the latest such action on Thursday, the Defence Ministry suspended the duties of Army Chief of Staff General Park An-su, who served as the Chief martial law commander during the brief martial law rule.
Shortly after the martial law announcement, a military decree barring all political activities was issued under Park’s name. Park has argued he was not responsible for the drafting of the document.
The suspensions have left a vacuum in the top commands of major warfare units — the Capital Defence Command, the Army Special Warfare Command, the Counterintelligence Command and the Defence Intelligence Command.
Their commands are seen as crucial missions in the military’s operations against North Korea, from guarding the greater Seoul area to collecting military intelligence at home and abroad and conducting special operations against enemy entities.
Following Kim’s departure, Choi Byung-hyuk, a retired Army General who currently serves as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, has been tapped as the new Defense Minister, but it remains unclear when a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Choi’s appointment could take place, Yonhap news agency reported.
Further stoking uncertainties is the fact that the chief command of the entire armed forces still lies with President Yoon.
“Legally, (the control of military forces) currently lies with the commander in chief,” Jeon Ha-kyou, the Defence Ministry’s spokesperson, said in a regular briefing on Monday, a day after the president was booked as a suspect on insurrection charges.
When asked about concerns about the military’s emergency readiness in the fallout of the martial law declaration, the Defense Ministry still maintains that it sees ‘no insufficiency’ in maintaining a firm operational and readiness posture.
“(The ministry) has clearly named substitutes and they are carrying out their duties,” Jeon said in a press briefing earlier in the day.
“Under such a command system, field and operations units are currently conducting duties and no insufficiency is believed to exist regarding their readiness and operational posture,” he added.
Breaking a weeklong silence, Pyongyang’s state media on Wednesday reported on South Korea’s martial law turmoil for the first time, followed by back-to-back coverage of the issue the following day.
The state media reports detailed the opposition’s push to impeach Yoon, while blaming the president for causing nationwide chaos. Photos of candlelight protests were also published.
The North has carried out no reported military provocations against the South so far this month after sending some 40 trash-filled balloons across the border in late November.
