South Korea Suspends Navy Chief Amid Martial Law Plot Investigation

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense has excluded Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Kang Dong-gil from duty following allegations of his involvement in a failed martial law attempt under former President Yoon Suk Yeol. This action comes amid a broader investigation into the incident, which has already led to the suspension of Ground Operations Commander General Joo Sung-un. The probe has uncovered the involvement of a significant number of military personnel. ## Timeline * **Late 2024:** Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid fails. (Source 1, Source 2) * **Prior to 2026-02-13:** Ground Operations Commander General Joo Sung-un is suspended. (Source 1, Source 2) * **2026-02-13:** The defence ministry excludes Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Kang Dong-gil from duty. (Source 1, Source 2) * **2026-02-13:** Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna states that Kang was excluded due to allegations related to the insurrection case. (Source 2) * **2026-02-13:** Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back says the ministry has identified around 180 military personnel as having been involved in the martial law bid. (Source 2) * The investigation finds that approximately 1,600 personnel across the military, including the Army, counterintelligence command, and special operations command, were mobilized. (Source 1, Source 2) * More than half of the mobilized personnel were dispatched to the National Assembly, while the remaining were sent to the National Election Commission. (Source 2) * The Deputy Chief of the Navy will serve as acting chief while disciplinary proceedings are considered for Kang. (Source 1) * Kang was among the seven top-brass officers appointed as four-star generals in September last year. (Source 2)