hankyoreh

Im Tae-hoon

South Korea’s military leadership discussed invoking the garrison decree to suppress candlelight demonstrations if the impeachment against former President Park Geun-hye was overturned, a group has claimed. The Ministry of National Defense announced plans for an immediate examination into the truth of the allegations.

“At the time of the candlelight revolution for Park Geun-hye’s resignation, there were multiple reports that the military was plotting to suppress the demonstrations using armed force,” said Im Tae-hoon, director of the Centre for Military Human Rights Korea (CMHRK) during a press conference at the Lee Han-yeol Memorial Museum in Seoul’s Mapo district on Mar. 8.

“Following the impeachment’s approval by the National Assembly on Dec. 9, 2016, there were discussions within the Ministry of National Defense about the need to prepare to send military troops in if the Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment decision [of the National Assembly],” Im explained.

“The Capital Defense Commander (CDC) at the time, [current Army deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen.] Koo Hong-mo, attended command meetings in person to specific discuss ‘armed suppression in the event of a disturbance,” Im added. The center further explained that the meeting was not a normal advisors’ meeting presided over by the commander and attended by personnel, intelligence, and legal advisors, but an emergency meeting attended by only a portion of the military officers who would be responsible for mobilizing troops.

“Since the capital defense commander becomes garrison commander once the garrison decree is invoked, the discussions at the capital defense command meeting most likely focus on how many troops would be mobilized and from where,” said Im.

The center went on to demand an investigation, noting that the minutes should still be preserved at the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters.

Article 12 of the garrison decree, which was originally proclaimed as a presidential decree in 1950 and then revised in 1970 by the Park Chung-hee administration in Apr. 1970, and again on two occasions in the early 2000s, states conditions for mobilization of military troops.

“When requested to mobilize troops by the Mayor of Seoul or Busan or a provincial governor at the time of a natural disaster of state of emergency, the garrison commander may respond thereto after reporting to the Army Chief of Staff and receiving his approval,” the article states.

The garrison decree has frequently been called unconstitutional, as it allows for mobilization of the military without the National Assembly’s consent.

The Ministry of National Defense said the same day that it would launch an immediate investigation into the truth of the center’s allegations. In a text message to reporters, the ministry wrote, “Starting today, we will be sending in available staff from the inspector-general’s office and elsewhere to examine the fact.”

“Once findings emerge, they will be reported in a transparent manner, and we will take the necessary follow-up measures,” it continued.

Koo Hong-mo, who was CDC at the time, dismissed the claims as “groundless” and plans to file suit against center director Im Tae-hoon on defamation charges, a military source reported.

director of the Centre for Military Human Rights Korea (CMHRK) speaks during a press conference at the Lee Han-yeol Memorial Museum in Seoul’s Mapo district on Mar. 8. “Following [former president Park Geun-hye’s] impeachment’s approval by the National Assembly on Dec. 9

By Park Byong-su, senior staff writer and Jang Su-kyung, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]