Amid a martial law situation in South Korea, a significant number of the military’s top brass, including the Army Chief of Staff, have been suspended from duty or are under investigation, raising concerns about the country’s readiness against North Korea. On December 12, the Ministry of National Defense announced that Army General Park Ahn-soo, who acted as the martial law commander, has been relieved of his duties. Previously, three other lieutenant generals, including Ye In-hyung, the Army’s Counterintelligence Command chief, also experienced suspensions.
Additional suspensions involved senior military figures such as Brigadier General-designate Jeong Seong-woo, head of the Anti-Intelligence Division, and Rear Admiral Kim Dae-woo, head of the Investigation Division, with a total of 17 star-ranked officers losing their roles. Key figures tasked with countering North Korean threats have thus been sidelined.
Furthermore, brigade commanders involved in troop mobilization, such as Brigadier Generals Lee Sang-hyun, Kim Jung-geun, and Ahn Moo-sung, have been banned from leaving the country. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Kim Sun-ho has been acting since December 5, following the arrest of former Minister Kim Yong-hyeon on charges related to state revolt.
As uncertainty looms over who should give orders to the military in the absence of normal presidential governance, officials fear a break in the chain of command. While Vice Minister Kim declared no subsequent martial law, he emphasized adherence to presidential directives in case of severe security threats.
Concerns have also arisen about officers involved in martial law revealing military secrets. Army Chief of Staff Park detailed martial law command activities at a National Defense Committee meeting, prompting Deputy Minister Kim to intervene due to the sensitive nature of the information. Similarly, the disclosure of special forces personnel identities during a session fueled fears about compromising military readiness.
Despite these upheavals, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under Chairman Kim Myung-soo, remain largely insulated from the martial law implications, suggesting a structural bypass during these incidents. Vice Minister Kim has directed that troop movement requires Joint Chiefs of Staff approval, aiming to prevent unauthorized deployments.