Air Force Major General, identified only as Choi, is seen playing a game on his smartphone during a recess at the emergency inquiry session of the National Defense Committee at the National Assembly, Tuesday. Captured from National Assembly TV

A high-ranking military officer has drawn criticism after being caught playing a game with his smartphone during a National Assembly inquiry into the Dec. 3 illegal martial law incident. Though the officer had no direct involvement in the incident, critics condemned his inappropriate behavior during such an important session.

During the emergency meeting of the National Defense Committee on Tuesday, broadcast footage showed Air Force Maj. Gen. Choi engrossed in a game on his smartphone for about five minutes at around 7:40 p.m.

Choi, dressed in combat fatigues, was seen sitting with his combat boots off, one leg crossed over the other, fully focused on his phone.

The incident occurred during a recess, with no one nearby to notice. It appears Choi was unaware that cameras continued to record the session even during breaks. He stopped playing only after someone alerted him to the live broadcast.

When the meeting resumed at 9 p.m., lawmakers took note of Choi's actions. Rep. Ahn Gyu-baek of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, a former National Defense Committee chair, sharply criticized him, saying, "The country is in chaos with the first martial law in 45 years. Are you in your right mind?"

Ahn's harsh words underscored the severity of the session, which sought to investigate the full extent of the martial law situation.

Lt. Gen. Kwack Jong-keun, left, former commander of the Special Warfare Command, responds to lawmakers' questions during the emergency inquiry session of the National Defense Committee at the National Assembly, Tuesday. Newsis

More than 50 high-ranking military officers, including representatives from the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were present at the meeting.

Vice Minister of National Defense Kim Sun-ho said, "We will investigate the matter thoroughly and hold those responsible accountable."

While Choi was confirmed as having no connection to the martial law incident, his role as the director of foreign intelligence at the Defense Intelligence Agency, specializing in Air Force operations, has drawn mixed reactions online.

Some argue that his actions during the break in the session were personal and unrelated to the inquiry, while others view the behavior as emblematic of poor discipline among senior military leaders.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.