World : 49 Generals Retired, Transferred After S. Korean Leader Is Criticized

President Roh Tae Woo ordered 49 top generals transferred or retired after army hard-liners criticized him for seeking ties with Communist nations and not suppressing dissidents, officials said today.

Roh, a former general who played a key role in the military’s seizure of power in 1980, replaced several hard-liners in key security posts with generals loyal to him, according to Korean press reports.

Many of the generals being replaced were allies of former authoritarian President Chun Doo Hwan. Defense Ministry officials declined to say how many of the 49 generals would be retired and how many moved to other posts.