Here is the latest on the martial law issue in South Korea:
Kim Eui-kyeom, a spokesman for the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, holds a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on July 20, 2018. (Yonhap)
Documents submitted by the defense ministry show the earlier reported proposal from the defense intelligence agency to declare martial law may have been more deliberate than earlier believed, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Friday, apparently implying the military may have actually sought to go ahead with such a plan.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said the military maintained and renewed its plans for a martial law every two years, but that the new documents submitted by the ministry showed significant changes and differences from the original plans.
“Usually, the military renews its martial law plans every two years,” the spokesman told a press briefing. “(Cheong Wa Dae) has confirmed the submitted documents are completely different from the existing plans.”
The military documents have been submitted after President Moon Jae-in made a special order for the defense ministry and the military to submit all documents related to the martial law proposal from the Defense Security Command (DSC), which reportedly came in the wake of protest rallies and candlelight vigils in late 2016 that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye on suspicions of corruption.
Kim said the proposal even included plans to inspect and censor news articles.
Also, the DSC suggested the chief of the Army take control of a martial law command, instead of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under conventional military plans.
It also suggested the head of the National Intelligence Service be subject to leadership of the top military commander under its proposed martial law, suggesting military control of the government, as well as the top spy agency.
To the apparent surprise of many, the DSC even stressed a need to arrest and remove then opposition lawmakers who took part in the protest rallies against Park, partly to prevent the parliament from impeaching then-President Park and lifting the martial law, Kim explained. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but remember the martial law plans were updated to prepare for massive riots if President Park was not impeached. From what I have read these plans were for worst case scenarios. If massive riots were to happen that the police could not handle and threatened the stability of the government, was the ROK military expected to just stand by and do nothing?
That is why I would not be surprised if this martial law issue is being sensationalized to create an excuse for the Blue House to replace ROK military leadership they feel are not ideologically friendly to their political goals. Of course this will all be sold as “reforms” and not a purge.
Defense Minister Song Young-moo (C) presides over a hastily convened meeting of top military officers at the ministry in Seoul on July 16, 2018. The meeting came after President Moon Jae-in ordered the military to submit all documents to his office that are related to an alleged proposal by the Defense Security Command, a military intelligence unit, to consider imposing martial law to deal with possible unrest from nationwide protests last year demanding the ouster of then-President Park Geun-hye. (Yonhap)
It looks like the Moon administration has found another avenue to go after their political enemies with:
A special team of military prosecutors will launch an investigation Monday into revelations that the military’s intelligence unit reviewed the possibility of imposing martial law last year in response to protests calling for then President Park Geun-hye’s ousting.
President Moon Jae-in ordered the investigation after the disclosure of a Defense Security Command (DSC) document that showed the military considered imposing martial law and mobilizing forces to quell candlelight protests against Park.
The military has since formed a special investigation team comprising about 30 prosecutors and investigators from the Navy and the Air Force. The team will complete the necessary preparations on Sunday and launch an investigation on Monday, officials said.
“We’re going to conduct a fair and thorough investigation according to law and principle,” an official said.
Those subject to the investigation are expected to include the then DSC commander, Cho Hyun-chun, then-Defense Minister Han Min-koo and Kim Kwan-jin, chief of the presidential National Security Office at the time. Then-Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and jailed former President Park Geun-hye could also face an investigation.
Incumbent Defense Minister Song Young-moon is also expected to face an investigation. Song has come under fire for doing nothing even after he was briefed about the DSC document in March this year. Some opposition lawmakers have called for his resignation. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but this issue is nothing new. The Korean leftwing politicians disclosed planning for martial law if needed all the way back in 2016. Now there is a document that shows that planning did occur. South Korea has a long history of martial law during past military dictatorships which makes it a very politically sensitive issue, however it is not illegal:
Under the law, the President has the right to declare martial law when it is considered necessary to maintain public order and security. And the head of state is required immediately to inform the National Assembly of the decision with details, including concrete reasons, a scope of territory and what will be subject to the emergency law. The National Assembly has the right to ask the President to lift the law and, if the latter refuses, the Assembly can start an impeachment process. [Korea Times]
Former President Park obviously made no decision to impose martial law so I don’t see what case the Moon administration can make that anyone in the Park administration broke the law. They can however play this out to further discredit and embarrass political conservatives in South Korea. It may also give them the excuse to clean house of top military leadership accusing them of plotting a coup in order to replace them with more ideologically friendly officers. I guess we will see how this plays out.
