'One Week of Martial Law' After, Kim Yong-hyun Applies for Severance Pay... Choo Mi-ae Says "With What Face"

Retirement Benefit Application Submitted After Approval of Resignation on the 5th of Last Month
Reason for Retirement Listed as "General Retirement," Not Dismissal or Removal

Former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun. Yonhap News Agency

It has been confirmed that former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun applied for retirement benefits one week after the December 3 martial law incident occurred.

Chu Mi-ae, a member of the National Assembly's Special Committee for the Investigation of the Truth Behind the Treason Charges, revealed this on the 12th by disclosing data received from the Government Employees Pension Service. Former Minister Kim submitted his retirement benefits application to the pension service by mail on the 10th of last month. This was also the day Kim was detained.

He requested retirement benefits for his service as Chief of the Presidential Security Service for 2 years and 3 months and as Minister of National Defense for 3 months. Kim expressed his resignation to President Yoon Seok-yeol on December 4 of last year, the day after the martial law incident. The "retirement date" was listed as the 5th of last month, when President Yoon approved his dismissal.

Choo Mi-ae, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Representative Chu pointed out that Kim marked "none" in the section for criminal records and specified his reason for retirement as "general retirement," not dismissal or removal. It is known that the pension service has not yet paid the retirement benefits and is still reviewing the case.

Representative Chu said, "How could Kim Yong-hyun, who was even detained due to the treason incident, have the audacity to apply for retirement benefits?" and added, "We need to verify whether military pension payments have been made and immediately halt any payments."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.