President Lee: 'Self-reliant defense is crucial; dependence on allies must be guarded against'

President Lee Jae-myung, on the 27th, mentioned the necessity of 'self-reliant defense' to military commanders, stating that excessive reliance solely on the ROK-US alliance must be guarded against.

At a meeting held at the Ministry of National Defense that day, President Lee cited the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, instability in the Middle East, and North Korea's efforts to establish border lines within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as grounds for strengthening military readiness.

While affirming that the ROK-US alliance is an essential element for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, he urged the military to prepare to play a leading role in the defense of the Korean Peninsula by pursuing the recovery of wartime operational control (OPCON). He added that the determination to protect the territory and people with one's own strength serves as the driving force for regaining OPCON.

He also directed the implementation of defense reform tasks, such as transitioning to a smart, powerful military adapted to future battlefield environments and introducing a selective conscription system.

Key officials from the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with commanders from each service branch, attended the meeting, while commanders of overseas deployment units participated via video conference.