▲ Defense Counterintelligence Command
A reorganization plan for the Defense Counterintelligence Command, which centers on its dissolution and the subsequent establishment of the "Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters" and the "Defense Security Support Group" to decentralize authority, was approved at a Cabinet meeting today (July 21).
The Ministry of National Defense announced that five presidential decrees, including the repeal of the "Defense Counterintelligence Command Decree" and the enactment of the "Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters Decree" and the "Defense Security Support Group Decree," were passed during today's Cabinet meeting.
The core of this reorganization is to dismantle the Defense Counterintelligence Command, which held concentrated power, and restructure it into specialized agencies based on their functions.
The "Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters" and the "Defense Security Support Group" will each be launched on July 31.
The "Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters" will handle intelligence activities related to counterintelligence and the defense industry, as well as defense industry and cyber security tasks. Meanwhile, the "Defense Security Support Group" will be responsible for security tasks within the military, such as central security audits for corps-level units and above, and investigations into security incidents.
The existing security investigation functions of the Defense Counterintelligence Command and the joint investigation authority during martial law situations will be transferred to the "Ministry of National Defense Investigation Agency."
Power-oriented missions and functions that have repeatedly caused controversy throughout the history of the Defense Counterintelligence Command—such as monitoring trends, gathering personnel intelligence, and collecting information on illegal activities or corruption—will be institutionally abolished.
With this reorganization, the Ministry of National Defense has decided to significantly strengthen internal inspection functions within the newly established organizations and enhance democratic control, including reporting to the National Assembly.
To ensure transparency in intelligence and investigation activities, the ministry plans to appoint external senior audit officials to the positions of inspection chiefs at the "Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters" and the "Ministry of National Defense Investigation Agency." Furthermore, a "Compliance Inspection Committee" composed of civilian experts will be established directly under the Minister of National Defense to strengthen external oversight of the new organizations.
The ministry also mandated that the "Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters" report on major operations to the National Assembly upon the request of the relevant standing committee.
The presidential decrees approved today are scheduled to be promulgated on July 28, and the "Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters" and the "Defense Security Support Group" will be officially launched on July 31.
Separately, the Ministry of National Defense plans to push for the enactment of the "Act on the Duties of Military Counterintelligence Personnel" within this year, which will specify the scope of counterintelligence activities and regulations for punishing illegal activities.
The Ministry of National Defense stated, "We will continue to pursue personnel reform and organizational culture innovation within the counterintelligence sector to firmly establish political neutrality and professionalism, ensuring that counterintelligence becomes stronger while democratic control is implemented more definitively."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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