Seoul: The Cabinet approved five presidential decrees on Tuesday to reform the military counterintelligence unit, following the announcement to dismantle the command amid criticism over its undue political influence. The move follows plans to dismantle the Defense Counterintelligence Command and disperse its core functions to new and existing bodies under the defense ministry, marking the unit's dissolution 49 years after its establishment.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the decrees will be promulgated next Tuesday, with the ministry planning to officially launch two new bodies under its wing by July 31 as part of the restructuring measures. The ministry emphasized that the reform represents a step toward transforming military intelligence into a "democratic organization trusted by the public."

Under the new decrees, a body will be established within the ministry to handle counterintelligence, defense industry intelligence, and cybersecurity operations. A separate agency will be created to conduct internal security inspections and investigations into security breaches at corps-level or larger units.

Furthermore, the decrees will strip the military of its authority to conduct surveillance and gather personnel intelligence, such as background checks on individuals of interest. These covert operations were widely perceived as granting the unit undue political influence. The authority to conduct national security-related investigations will be transferred to the ministry's existing investigation agency.

Since its inception in 1977, the Defense Counterintelligence Command (DCC) has faced criticism for wielding excessive powers through its unique roles and has undergone a series of reform efforts under previous administrations. The command's involvement in Yoon's failed martial law imposition on December 3, 2024, has reignited calls for its reform.

Additionally, its former commander is currently on trial for allegedly deploying troops to the National Assembly on the night of the martial law attempt to arrest opposition lawmakers. The DCC has also been suspected of sending drones across the border into North Korea two months before the martial law bid, purportedly to provide a pretext for the emergency measure.