Defense Counterintelligence Command
{{Short description|South Korean intelligence organization}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name = Defense Counterintelligence Command
|native_name = 국군방첩사령부
|image = Defense Counterintelligence Command emblem.svg
|caption =
|seal =
|seal_caption =
|dates = Military Security Command
(1977–1990)
Defense Security Command
(1991–2018)
Defense Security Support Command
(2018–2022)
Defense Counterintelligence Command
(2022–present){{cite web|url=https://www.dcc.mil.kr/dsscen/1081/subview.do|title=History|publisher=Defense Counterintelligence Command|date=|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=3 February 2024|author=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dcc.mil.kr/dssckr/1076/subview.do|script-title=ko:연혁|publisher=Defense Counterintelligence Command|date=|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=3 February 2024|author=}}
|dissolved =
|country = {{flag|South Korea}}
|garrison = Gwacheon, South Korea
|type = ROK Armed Forces Inter-service command
|command_structure = Ministry of Defense
|current_commander = Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung
|notable_commanders = General Chun Doo-hwan
General Roh Tae-woo
Lieutenant General Chang Do-yongDuring the KACIC period.
|motto = Limitless Dedication for the Protection of Liberty of the Republic of Korea{{cite web|url=https://www.dcc.mil.kr/dsscen/1088/subview.do|title=Command Spirit|publisher=Defense Counterintelligence Command|date=|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=3 February 2024|author=}}
|website = [https://www.dcc.mil.kr/sites/dsscen/index.do Official website in English]
[https://www.dcc.mil.kr/sites/dssckr/index.do Official website in Korean]
| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
|hangul=^국군_방첩_사령부
|hanja=國軍防諜司令部
|child=yes
}}
}}
The Defense Counterintelligence Command (DCC; {{korean|국군방첩사령부}}) is an intelligence organization of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. It was founded as the Army Counter Intelligence Corps (commonly known as CIC or KACIC;{{cite web |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1953102300209202006&editNo=1&printCount=1&publishDate=1953-10-23&officeId=00020&pageNo=2&printNo=9374&publishType=00020 |script-title=ko:體育大會어제閉幕 靑年의意氣遺憾없이發揚 |language=ko |website=Naver |publisher=The Dong-A Ilbo |date=1953-10-23 |access-date=2021-04-03}}{{cite news |url=https://imnews.imbc.com/replay/2006/nwdesk/article/1987680_29291.html |script-title=ko:뉴스데스크 5–60년대 육군 특무부대원들 조선시대 마패처럼 메달 갖고 다녀[전봉기] |language=ko |date=2006-04-16 |access-date=2021-04-03}} meaning: Special Operation Forces) on 21 October 1950. The DCC is primarily responsible for intelligence missions such as clandestine and covert operation, counterintelligence, defense industry security, forensic investigations, HUMINT, and military security{{cite web|url=https://www.dcc.mil.kr/dsscen/355/subview.do|title=Military Security|publisher=Defense Counterintelligence Command|date=|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=4 February 2024|author=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dcc.mil.kr/dsscen/370/subview.do|title=Defense Industry Security|publisher=Defense Counterintelligence Command|date=|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=4 February 2024|author=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dcc.mil.kr/dsscen/404/subview.do|title=Forensic investigation|publisher=Defense Counterintelligence Command|date=|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=4 February 2024|author=}}
The unit was reorganized into the Defense Counterintelligence Command on 1 November 2022.
History
The Defense Counterintelligence Command was formally activated in October 1977 under the name Military Security Command (MSC; {{korean|국군보안사령부|國軍保安司令部|labels=no}}). This merger of the Army Security Command, the Navy Security Unit, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations produced a single, integrated unit under the direct command and operational control of the minister of national defense.
Chun Doo-hwan became chief of the Defense Security Command (DSC; {{korean|국군기무사령부|國軍機務司令部|labels=no}}) in February 1979, eight months before Park Chung Hee was assassinated on October 26, 1979. From his position as commander of the DSC, Chun effectively became chief investigator of the assassination, said Don Oberdorfer in his book The Two Koreas.Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass, 1997, {{ISBN|0-201-40927-5}}, p. 121 On December 12, 1979, a group of generals led by Chun arrested martial law commander General Jeong Seung-hwa, the army chief of staff, and seized key sites in the capital.{{cite web|url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0034018|title=12·12 군사반란 (十二十二 軍事叛亂)|publisher=Academy of Korean Studies|date=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204172825/https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0034018|archivedate=4 February 2024|accessdate=4 February 2024|author=Lee Wan-bum}}
The DSC's involvement in 1979 was considered and defined as attempt of a coup by state council.
Criticism
During the Gwangju Uprising, many plainclothed DSC operatives disguised themselves as protesters to conduct covert operations against civilian militias.{{Cite news|url=https://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1004508719|title=기무사 사진첩, 37년 만에 공개 ① : 평상복으로 위장한 군인이 기록한 5·18|access-date=2017-12-01|language=ko|archive-url=|archive-date=}} Their main objective was arrest and detain militia members illegally and fabricating lies and calumnies about militia to ruin the militia's reputation and make the uprising look like North Korean operatives involved.{{Cite news|url=http://www.gospeltoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=5451|script-title=ko:39년 전 그날의 참상에 광주는 다시 울었다|access-date=2019-12-11|language=ko|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202115750/http://www.gospeltoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=5451|archive-date=December 2, 2020|url-status=live}}
On November 11, 2011, the Seoul National Labor Relations Commission exposed a DSC member who had been illegally collecting the information of civilians registered in the National Health Insurance Corporation for three and a half years.{{cite news | first = Tae-gyu (태규) | last = Kim (김) | script-title=ko:기무사, 건보공단서 3년6개월간 민간인 62명 개인정보 빼냈다. | date = 2011-11-12 | url = http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/505178.html | work = The Hankyeoreh | accessdate = 2011-11-12 | language = Korean}}
Before the impeachment of Park Geun-hye on March 2017, the DSC was planning a self-coup and a declaration of martial law in case the impeachment of Park Geun-hye failed and anticipation of prolonged protests in response. The DSC's self-coup plan document was revealed to the public in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.news1.kr/photos/3221147|script-title=ko:계엄문건 67장 '세부자료' 공개…탄핵기각시 '실행' 수준 |trans-title=Detailed Martial law document 67 pages open to public|last=|first=|date=|website=News1|language=ko|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206235419/https://www.news1.kr/photos/3221147|archive-date=2024-12-06|access-date=2018-07-23|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.segye.com/newsView/20180723007159|script-title=ko:기무사, 朴 탄핵 후 모든 상황 적용 가능한 계엄계획 세웠다 |trans-title=Defense Security Command made a Martial Law Plan to put it on every occasion after the Park's Impeachment|last=|first=|date=|website=Segye Ilbo|language=ko|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207000806/https://www.segye.com/newsView/20180723007159|archive-date=2024-12-07|access-date=2018-07-24|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- Globalsecurity.org, [http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/rok/dsc.htm#at Defense Security Command], accessed October 2009
{{National intelligence agencies}}
{{South Korean armed forces}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:South Korean military intelligence agencies
Category:Military units and formations established in 1977
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2018
Category:Ministry of National Defense (South Korea)