The Ministry of National Defense officially announced on the 10th that it will dismantle the Defense Counterintelligence Command. The core functions of the command will be dispersed to newly created organizations, including the Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters. Launched in 1977 as the Defense Security Command, the unit will disappear into history after 49 years.
The Ministry of National Defense announced a "plan to dismantle the counterintelligence command and reorganize its functions" at its Yongsan headquarters in Seoul on the day. Minister Ahn Gyu-baek said, "Beyond a simple organizational reshuffle, we are restructuring the organization and its missions so that the military intelligence agency can never again intervene in politics," adding, "It will be a historic watershed in building 'a military for the people.'"
According to the reorganization plan, the command will be dismantled, and the functions of counterintelligence, security, and national security investigations will be dispersed to different organizations. First, the Ministry of National Defense decided to transfer tasks such as counterintelligence and defense industry–related intelligence activities and cybersecurity to a newly established Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters. The national security investigation function and joint investigative authority under martial law will be transferred to the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters. In addition, a "Defense Security Support Group" will be newly established to carry out in-military security tasks such as central security audits for corps-level and higher units and investigations of security incidents.
The Ministry of National Defense decided to completely abolish functions such as trend investigations, personnel intelligence, collection of public opinion, and the collection of illegal or corrupt information unrelated to counterintelligence. The reason given was that these became the foundation for the command to reign as a power organ within the military, and in Jan. this year, there was also a recommendation from the "Civil-Military Joint Special Advisory Committee's Counterintelligence and Security Redesign Subcommittee."
The plan also calls for strengthening the internal inspection function of the newly established Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters and, to reinforce democratic oversight by the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, appointing an outside senior audit official as head of the headquarters' inspection office. The ministry will also create a dedicated unit within its headquarters to strengthen command and supervision over counterintelligence, intelligence, and security agencies. In addition, a "compliance inspection committee" composed of civilian experts will be set up under the direct authority of the Minister to strengthen external oversight.
The reorganization plan also includes personnel renewal during the dismantling and restructuring process. Those involved in the Dec. 3 martial law matter and various offenders will be excluded, and personnel with political neutrality and job competence will be selected through strict vetting. It also said the closed personnel management system of the existing command will be integrated into the military-wide common system to enhance transparency in personnel operations.
An official at the Ministry of National Defense said, "We plan to proceed with preparations for the launch based on this reorganization plan," adding, "We aim to complete the launch at the end of July, when the enactment and revision of the relevant ministerial decrees are completed."