Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek visited the 8th Fighter Wing in Wonju, Gangwon Province, on Wednesday and delivered a special lecture on strengthening command capabilities to all battalion commanders across the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), the Ministry of National Defense said.
During the lecture, Ahn presented the principle of "bonnipdosaeng" — meaning that the right path opens only when fundamentals are firmly established — as the most important guiding principle for commanders. The principle was one Ahn had emphasized in his first command letter issued in August last year.
Ahn urged commanders to pay particular attention and effort to protecting the lives and safety of service members, including accident prevention.
"A commander's diligent footsteps, sharp eyes, and careful hands are the surest way to maintain safety in the field," Ahn said. "The basic principles of planning, execution, verification, and inspection must be thoroughly carried out in every task."
Around 200 personnel attended the lecture, including Air Force Chief of Staff Son Seok-rak, key Air Force headquarters officials, and Air Force battalion commanders.
After the lecture, Ahn visited a fuel storage facility on the base to inspect fuel storage and management conditions, emergency response systems, and supply status.
Referring to the war in the Middle East, Ahn said, "Fuel is not merely a resource but another pillar of combat power that determines the military's ability to sustain operations." He added, "We must maintain readiness by securing a stable fuel supply and ensuring airtight management from peacetime."