Oct 2023 – A special‑counsel investigation later finds that President Yoon Suk‑yeol begins covert preparations for a martial‑law declaration, laying the groundwork for the December 2024 attempt [24].

Dec 3, 2024 – President Yoon declares martial law, orders troops to the National Assembly and the National Election Commission, and directs soldiers to block lawmakers from voting down the decree, an action that triggers immediate public backlash and later trials of senior generals [28][30].

Dec 2024 (late) – Brig. Gen. Lee Sang‑hyun leads troops into the Assembly chamber, while Rear Adm. Kim Dae‑woo dispatches an arrest team, constituting an illegal infiltration that later leads to their dismissal and criminal trials [3][4].

Dec 2024 – About 34 officers board a “martial‑law bus” from Gyeryong to Seoul after the Assembly lifts the decree, only to return 30 minutes later, a maneuver that becomes a focal point of subsequent disciplinary reviews [15][18].

Oct 2023 – Dec 2024 – The Defense Counterintelligence Command allegedly drafts a blacklist of roughly 30 officers linked to former lawmaker Choe Kang‑wook, later prompting a ministry probe in February 2026 [2].

Dec 1, 2025 – Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back posts a Facebook apology, acknowledging the military’s role in the 2024 martial‑law breach and pledging civilian‑led reforms [28].

Dec 1, 2025 – Acting Police Commissioner General Yoo Jae‑seong apologizes for police actions that sealed off the Assembly on Dec 3, 2024, and vows to protect constitutional order [30].

Dec 2, 2025 – Democratic Party chairman Jung Chung‑rae urges the National Assembly to create a second comprehensive special‑counsel probe to address unresolved matters from the Marine, martial‑law, and Kim Keon Hee investigations [29].

Dec 3, 2025 – Minister Ahn convenes about 150 senior commanders to plan a “military rebuilding” agenda that includes restructuring the armed forces by 2040 and restoring civilian control [27].

Dec 9, 2025 – The defense ministry announces a new special investigation unit, composed of military police and prosecutors, to continue probing martial‑law allegations as the existing special‑counsel mandate ends [26].

Dec 11, 2025 – The ministry confirms the 40‑member investigative team will launch the following week, focusing on the Defense Intelligence Command and the military propaganda unit [25].

Dec 14, 2025 – The investigative unit begins operations, deploying 119 officials to examine the Defense Intelligence Command’s alleged deployment to the Election Commission and a propaganda unit’s anti‑Pyongyang leaflets [24].

Dec 16, 2025 – Sixteen military‑police officials from the Criminal Investigation Command are suspended for attempting to detain lawmakers during the 2024 martial‑law night [23].

Dec 18, 2025 – Former President Yoon appears as a witness at the military court, apologizes to commanders on trial, and claims the short‑lived martial law was meant only to “raise an alarm bell” against the opposition [22].

Dec 22, 2025 – An inter‑agency task force, created at the prime minister’s request, seeks disciplinary action against roughly a dozen senior Army officers implicated in the martial‑law bid [21].

Dec 26, 2025 – The defense ministry dismisses Brig. Gen. Lee Jae‑sik, the former planning chief of the martial‑law command, marking a high‑profile accountability move [20].

Dec 29, 2025 – The ministry imposes severe discipline on five senior officers, including former heads of the Counterintelligence, Capital Defense, and Special Warfare Commands, signaling a decisive push for top‑rank accountability [19].

Jan 5, 2026 – A disciplinary panel convenes to decide penalties for seven generals tied to the failed martial‑law bid, part of a broader reform drive after the Dec 3, 2024 incident [18].

Jan 7, 2026 – Four senior Army officers receive three‑month suspensions for their roles in the martial‑law bus operation, while two additional officers await disciplinary outcomes [15][16].

Jan 8, 2026 – The defense ministry announces plans to dismantle the 49‑year‑old Defense Counterintelligence Command, aiming to complete the restructuring and create a new Defense Security Intelligence Agency by year‑end [12][13][14].

Jan 12, 2026 – Two two‑star generals are dismissed for participation in the Dec 2024 martial‑law command, adding to a series of senior‑officer removals [11].

Jan 15, 2026 – The National Assembly introduces a bill to launch a second comprehensive special‑counsel probe into former President Yoon’s martial‑law decree, the 2023 Marine death, and allegations against his wife [10].

Jan 16, 2026 – The Assembly passes the probe bill 172‑2 after ending a 24‑hour filibuster; People Power Party leader Jang Dong‑hyeok begins an eight‑day hunger strike demanding separate investigations into Unification‑Church‑related bribery [8][9][10].

Jan 23, 2026 – A disciplinary committee meets to rule on six officers charged with insurrection for the Dec 2024 martial‑law attempt, signaling continued accountability within the armed forces [6].

Jan 27, 2026 – A special‑counsel team requests the transfer of the martial‑law case of six officers to the civilian Seoul Central District Court, marking a rare civilian‑jurisdiction intervention [5].

Jan 29, 2026 – Colonel Kim Hyun‑tae, former head of the 707th Special Mission Group, is removed from duty after being charged with directing troops into the Assembly during the night‑time martial‑law assault [4].

Jan 30, 2026 – Two senior officers—Brig. Gen. Lee Sang‑hyun and Rear Adm. Kim Dae‑woo—are dismissed and face criminal trials for leading the illegal National Assembly infiltration in late 2024 [3].

Feb 3, 2026 – The defense ministry opens a probe into the Counterintelligence Command’s alleged 2023 “blacklist” of officers tied to former lawmaker Choe Kang‑wook, assigning the case to the Defense Special Investigation Headquarters [2].

Feb 4, 2026 – Opposition leader Jang Dong‑hyeok calls for three separate special‑counsel investigations into alleged Unification‑Church funding, DP‑lawyer bribery, and the Yoon martial‑law case, and demands a one‑on‑one meeting with President Lee Jae‑myung [1].