Seoul court cancels 3-month suspension of general who boarded martial law bus
In short
The Seoul Administrative Court ruled on 22 October that the three-month suspension given to Maj. Gen. Jeong Hak-seung (정학승), a former Army mobilization staff director, must be cancelled. The Defense Ministry had disciplined him over his conduct during the 3 December 2024 martial law, including boarding the so-called martial law bus. The court did not state its reasons in the courtroom.
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Division 14 of the Seoul Administrative Court, led by presiding judge Lee Sang-deok (이상덕), ruled on 22 October that the three-month suspension imposed on Jeong Hak-seung (정학승), a former Army mobilization staff director with the rank of major general, must be cancelled. Jeong had sued the defense minister, and the court ruled in his favour. It also ordered the defendant to bear the litigation costs, according to Yonhap. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo reported that the court did not state its detailed reasons in the courtroom that day. [ 1 , 3 ]
The Defense Ministry imposed the three-month suspension in January this year, saying Jeong had breached the duty to comply with laws during the 3 December 2024 martial law. Newsis reported that the ministry acted because he had boarded the so-called martial law bus. Newsis added that Jeong had twice asked the court to suspend the effect of the disciplinary action, and the court rejected both requests. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
According to Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily, the bus left Army Headquarters at Gyeryongdae for Seoul at about 3:00 on 4 December 2024, after the National Assembly had voted to lift martial law. It left on the order of Park An-su, then martial law commander, and 34 people including military officers were aboard. Jeong, on receiving an instruction, chose three Army Headquarters officers to go to Seoul and boarded the bus with other officers. Hankook Ilbo wrote that the instruction came from the Army vice chief of staff, who told him to organise the personnel needed by each office, prepare to move to Seoul and board the bus. It said Jeong selected personnel to go to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo said this is the second known case in which a soldier disciplined by the Defense Ministry over the martial law has won at first instance. Last month the court cancelled a two-month suspension given to Col. Yoo Jae-won, a former Defense Counterintelligence Command cyber security office chief. Yoo had been ordered to deploy to a polling firm run by the journalist Kim Eo-jun and told his team to stand by instead. Newsis called Yoo's case the first merits ruling in a disciplinary suit by a military officer over the martial law. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Newsis and Seoul Economic Daily reported that other disciplined officers, including former intelligence commander Moon Sang-ho and former drone operations commander Kim Yong-dae, have filed suits to cancel their discipline. Hankook Ilbo said those suits are in progress. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
Outlets describe this as the second known first-instance win for a soldier disciplined over the martial law, after a colonel's case last month. Suits by other disciplined officers are still pending, according to the outlets.
Key facts
- Division 14 of the Seoul Administrative Court ruled for the plaintiff on 22 October in a suit by Jeong Hak-seung, former Army mobilization staff director (major general), against the defense minister. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The court cancelled the three-month suspension and ordered the defendant to bear the litigation costs. [ 1 ]
- The Defense Ministry imposed the suspension in January this year, citing a breach of the duty to comply with laws during the martial law. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The bus left Army Headquarters at Gyeryongdae for Seoul at about 3:00 on 4 December 2024, after the National Assembly voted to lift martial law, and carried 34 people including military officers. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Jeong picked three Army Headquarters officers for the move to Seoul and boarded the bus with other officers. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Newsis reported that two requests to suspend the effect of the disciplinary action had both been rejected by the court earlier. [ 2 ]
- Last month the court cancelled a two-month suspension of Col. Yoo Jae-won, a former Defense Counterintelligence Command cyber security office chief. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Seoul Administrative Court ruled for Jeong Hak-seung on 22 October and held that his three-month suspension should be cancelled. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Defense Ministry imposed the three-month suspension in January this year, citing a breach of the duty to comply with laws. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The court did not give its detailed reasons in the courtroom on the day. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Last month the court also cancelled a two-month suspension given to Col. Yoo Jae-won. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Suits by former intelligence commander Moon Sang-ho and former drone operations commander Kim Yong-dae against their discipline have been filed. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Why the court cancelled the suspension. Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo say the court did not give its reasons in the courtroom.
- Whether the Defense Ministry will appeal. None of the documents says.
- Who gave Jeong his instruction to move personnel to Seoul. Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily say the bus left on the order of then martial law commander Park An-su. Hankook Ilbo says Jeong was told by the Army vice chief of staff to organise personnel and board the bus.
- Whether Yoo Jae-won's case was the first merits ruling of its kind. Newsis calls Yoo Jae-won's case the first merits ruling in a disciplinary suit by a military officer over the martial law, while Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo call the Jeong ruling the second known first-instance win.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 4 December 2024, after the National Assembly voted to lift martial law, the bus left Gyeryongdae for Seoul with 34 people aboard. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Yonhap and Newsis published reports on the 22 October ruling. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo published its report. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily published its report. [ 4 ]