Anchor: South Korea’s military counterintelligence command will be disbanded after its controversial involvement in ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law bid. An advisory committee set up to reform the command said Thursday that it recommends dismantling the powerful 49-year-old organization, which sent troops to the National Assembly on the night of December 3, 2024.
Eileen Cahill reports. 

Report: The Defense Counterintelligence Command is one of the military units that sent troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission on the night of martial law.

Its former commander is currently standing trial over allegations that he formed teams to arrest politicians when martial law was in effect. 

The defense ministry will disband this controversial counterintelligence unit and delegate its anti-espionage, security and investigation duties to other organizations.

This comes as the ministry’s joint civilian-government-military advisory committee on Thursday announced its conclusion that the powerful 49-year-old anti-spy military unit must be dismantled.

The panel advised that a new agency, tentatively named the Defense Security Intelligence Service, take over its anti-espionage and cybersecurity functions, as well as its defense industry and counterterrorism-related intel activities.

Priority would be given to reviewing a plan to appoint a civilian to lead the new agency.

The security inspection function would be transferred to another new organization, tentatively called a central security inspection team, to carry out central security inspections and offer general-level vetting support.

The three agencies taking on the new tasks would form a security investigation consultative body and coordinate their work.

Functions such as collecting personnel info would be abolished to prevent any organization from wielding absolute power within the military.

The ministry plans to draw up a detailed restructuring plan based on the recommendations, and to take steps toward legislative and systematic modifications.
Eileen Cahill, KBS World Radio News.