The Ministry of National Defense said on the 26th it had handed down heavy disciplinary measures to two generals on the grounds of "violation of the duty to comply with laws" related to the "Dec. 3 emergency martial law."
The generals who received heavy disciplinary action are Lee Jae-sik, former readiness inspection deputy director at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) (Army brigadier general), and Kim Seung-wan, former acting head of the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters (Army brigadier general), who rode the so-called martial law bus. Lee reportedly received "dismissal," and Kim was "demoted."
Earlier, on the 19th, the Ministry of National Defense convened a disciplinary committee for the two brigadier generals, as well as for former Special Warfare Command Commander Gwak Jong-geun, former Counterintelligence Command Commander Yeo In-hyeong, former Capital Defense Command Commander Lee Jin-woo, former Intelligence Command Commander Moon Sang-ho, and former Army vice chief of staff Ko Hyun-seok—seven generals in total—and for a colonel surnamed Yoo from the Counterintelligence Command, eight people in all.
A Ministry of National Defense official said, "The reason the two were released today with the disciplinary results is that the procedures related to discipline have been completed." The procedures the ministry mentioned cover everything from the disciplinary committee's resolution to notifying the individuals.
Meanwhile, the disciplinary committee is known to have decided on heavy penalties such as dismissal for the seven generals and "no grounds for discipline" for Col. Yoo. The Ministry of National Defense plans to make an official announcement as soon as the disciplinary procedures for the other generals are completed.