Seoul, Jan 21 South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Wednesday called for a powerful reform of defence intelligence and investigative arms amid efforts to rebuild the military in the aftermath of the botched martial law bid in late 2024.
Ahn made the call as he attended a policy briefing session by the Defence Intelligence Command (DIC), the Defence Counterintelligence Command (DCC) and the Criminal Investigation Command (CIC), according to the ministry, Yonhap News Agency reported.
"The task given to the DCC and military intelligence and investigative institutions is a fundamental reform that can rebuild trust in the organisations," Ahn was quoted as saying, especially calling on the counterintelligence to "completely sever itself from the past."
The command is suspected of having played a key role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law imposition in late 2024. Its former commander stands trial for allegedly deploying troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission on the night of the martial law decree on December 3, 2024.
It is also suspected of organising troops to detain around 10 key politicians, including the then leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties, as well as the National Assembly speaker.
Ahn also emphasised that the DIC should draw up measures to prevent the organisation from again being used as "a political tool" or misusing its intelligence capabilities.
Earlier this month, a special advisory committee tasked with suggesting a reform blueprint for the military called for disbanding the counterintelligence command, in what would mark its dissolution after 49 years upon completion.
Meanwhile, Ahn ordered Brigadier General Park Jung-hun, acting director of the CIC, to "thoroughly probe without a trace of suspicion" allegations surrounding drone incursion claims made by North Korea, according to the ministry.
A joint military-police investigation was launched last week after North Korea claimed South Korea infringed on its sovereignty with drone incursions in September, and on January 4, South Korea's military denied involvement, saying it does not operate the drone models in question.
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