Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul Denies Plans to Close Military Academies

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said on the 9th, during a meeting with the presidents of the alumni associations of the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies at the Defense Ministry building in Seoul, that the military academies of each branch would not be shut down. Responding to questions from Rep. Jin Sung-jun, chairman of the National Defense Committee who belongs to the Democratic Party, and Rep. Yu Yong-won of the People Power Party at a full meeting of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee that day, Kang said, "The schools that educate each branch of the military will remain, and specialized education will be provided there."

On July 16, the Defense Ministry announced a basic plan to establish a four-year unified Republic of Korea Military Academy at Jaudae in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, integrating the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies. Under the plan, cadets from all three branches would train together at Jaudae for four years.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Kang said of the location of the unified academy, "I will continue to deliberate while listening to more opinions." This suggested a possible revision of the government's plan, under which cadets currently would receive the full four years of training at Jaudae, to combine integrated training with branch-specific education. A "2+2" scheme — two years at the unified academy and two years at each branch academy — or a "1+2+1" scheme have been discussed. Kang said he would continue reviewing the question of the unified academy's location, including the potential relocation of the Korea Military Academy.

On relocating the Korea Military Academy, he answered that it was "one of several options," with the area near the Army's 32nd Division in Sejong City cited as a potential site. President Lee Jae-myung said on August 5, "The Korea Military Academy was at the center of three coups, yet no one has ever been held accountable."

After the meeting, the presidents of the three academies' alumni associations issued a statement to the effect that "the academy integration plan risks weakening national defense and security, and must be reconsidered from square one." The Korea Military Academy alumni association warned of legal and administrative action in response to the academy's possible relocation.