Demonstrators call for the impeachment of then-South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at the front gates of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 4, 2024. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes)

South Korean soldiers who refused to obey unlawful orders during former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law attempt last year could receive early promotions, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

The military last week launched a closer look at the actions of soldiers on duty after Yoon’s short-lived martial law decree late Dec. 3 and early Dec. 4, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Friday at a news conference in Seoul.

Roughly 200 soldiers — many of them from special forces units — were deployed to the National Assembly building in the capital after Yoon’s edict that night. Some troops blocked the building’s entrance as lawmakers attempted to convene and vote to overturn Yoon’s order.

Yoon, who faces trial on charges of insurrection and abuse of authority, has denied deploying troops to prevent lawmakers from reversing the martial law. His attorneys have said the troops were deployed as a precautionary measure and to instill order.

Service members who are found to have “performed their duties as soldiers” without following “improper orders” could receive commendations, the spokesman said.

Enlisted soldiers may receive early promotions or an unspecified reward; junior officers may receive a commendation in their personnel files, according to the spokesman.

The investigation seeks to recognize soldiers who “contributed to protect people by not following illegal orders” and will not promote disobedience within the ranks, he added.

Evidence of the soldiers’ actions will be examined, the spokesman said, adding that the investigation may take up to one month.

A ministry spokesman reached by phone Monday declined to elaborate on the investigation.

Some South Korean government officials speak to the media on condition of anonymity.