Seoul, Feb 13 (NationPress) The defence ministry of South Korea announced on Friday that it has relieved Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Kang Dong-gil from his duties due to his alleged participation in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's unsuccessful martial law attempt in late 2024.

This decision follows a similar suspension imposed on Ground Operations Commander General Joo Sung-un the previous day, highlighting the second suspension of a four-star general appointed during the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

During a briefing, ministry spokesperson Chung Binna stated, "The defence ministry has excluded the chief of naval operations since evidence related to the insurrection case has been uncovered," as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

Admiral Kang, who held the position of chief of the directorate of military support at the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the martial law imposition, was one of seven top military officers promoted to four-star generals in September of the previous year.

The ministry indicated that the deputy chief of the Navy will serve as the acting Navy chief following this decision and that disciplinary measures will be considered for Kang.

On Thursday, the ministry revealed that approximately 180 personnel had been identified as being involved in the martial law imposition after a months-long investigation into about 860 general-level and field-grade officers.

In total, the investigation concluded that around 1,600 military personnel connected with the Army, counterintelligence command, special operations command, and Defence Intelligence Command were activated on the night of the martial law enforcement.

According to Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, the ministry has pinpointed around 180 military personnel involved in Yoon Suk Yeol's brief martial law initiative and intends to further scrutinize them and implement necessary disciplinary actions.

Ahn disclosed this figure while announcing the results of a months-long inquiry by the ministry's task force concerning about 860 general-level and field-grade officers allegedly involved in the December 2024 martial law imposition.

The comprehensive investigation engaged over 100 personnel from the ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and various military branches to assess the level of their involvement, whether they had decision-making authority, and their roles in the martial law attempt, as indicated by the ministry.

Overall, the probe revealed that about 1,600 military personnel associated with the Army, counterintelligence command, special operations command, and Defence Intelligence Command were mobilized on the night of the martial law declaration, with more than half deployed to the National Assembly and others sent to the National Election Commission.