South Korea's Ministry of National Defense has dissolved the Army Counterintelligence Command and established three new organizations, including the Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters [1].
The restructuring aims to dismantle a legacy of political abuse and restore public trust in the nation's military intelligence apparatus. By replacing the command, the government intends to build a specialized system for gathering intelligence on North Korea while ending the agency's history as a tool for political power [2].
Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek said the move is designed to end the history of the command serving as a tool of power and to regain the trust of the people [2]. The transition involves the official creation of three separate agencies [1] to handle the duties previously managed by the dissolved command.
The new Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters is located in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do, occupying the building previously used by the Army Counterintelligence Command [2]. This relocation maintains the physical infrastructure while fundamentally changing the organizational mandate and oversight.
According to reports, the official creation of these three organizations took place on March 3, 2026 [2]. The move is part of a broader effort to modernize the defense intelligence framework and ensure that counterintelligence operations remain focused on national security rather than internal political monitoring [2].
Minister Ahn said the goal is to move beyond the past and establish a professional intelligence environment. The new structure is expected to streamline the flow of information regarding North Korean activities, and enhance the overall security posture of the Republic of Korea [2].
“End the history of the command serving as a tool of power”
The dissolution of the Army Counterintelligence Command represents a significant shift in South Korea's approach to military intelligence. By rebranding and restructuring the agency into three separate entities, the government is attempting to decouple military security from political surveillance. This move is likely intended to reduce the risk of intelligence agencies being used for domestic political leverage, while simultaneously sharpening the focus on the primary external threat from North Korea.
