The Ministry of National Defense said on the 31st that it decided to grant a one-rank special promotion to seven service members who defended constitutional values and protected democracy by refusing to carry out unlawful and improper orders during the Dec. 3 martial law.
The recipients are four commissioned officers and three noncommissioned officers. Battalion commander Kim Hyeong-gi of the Special Warfare Command will be promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel. In addition, two majors will be promoted to lieutenant colonel, and one captain will be promoted to major. Also, two master sergeants, including Master Sgt. Kang Byeong-guk of the Capital Defense Command, will be promoted to sergeant major, and one staff sergeant will be promoted to master sergeant.
Of these, six will be promoted two to three years earlier than the normal timeline. The selection of those for special promotion went through the Army promotion selection committee's deliberation on the 29th, followed by merit verification and a background check. For officers, the Minister of National Defense made the final promotion selections, taking into account the chief of staff's recommendations, while for noncommissioned officers, the chief of staff made the decision.
The Ministry of National Defense explained, "This special promotion is a measure by the state to honor the merits of those who upheld the duties of service members to defend constitutional values, and it was carried out under the Military Personnel Management Act and its enforcement decree."
Earlier, to mark Armed Forces Day (Oct. 1), the Ministry of National Defense awarded government commendations to 10 service members, including Col. Jo Seong-hyeon and Col. Kim Mun-sang, as "contributors to defending constitutional values" for refusing to carry out unlawful and improper orders during the Dec. 3 martial law. However, among the government commendation recipients, Col. Jo and Col. Kim are said to have declined special promotion.