President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday accepted the resignation of defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, who proposed the martial law declaration that Yoon abruptly announced late Tuesday and rescinded six hours later under pressure from the National Assembly. The defense ministry revealed that Kim had ordered elite military units to enter the National Assembly and prevent lawmakers from entering the compound during the short-lived martial law.

Yoon named retired four-star Army general Choi Byung-hyuk as Kim’s replacement. Choi, currently South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, is a former deputy commander of the U.S.-ROK Combined Forces Command with extensive military experience. Choi also played a key role in shaping Yoon’s defense policies during his presidential campaign, making him a familiar figure to the administration.