Ruling Party Chief Denies Military Academy Merger Is 'Dec. 3 Retaliation'

Jin Sung-joon, chairman of the National Assembly Defense Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 17th dismissed claims by some that the merger of the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies amounts to retaliation over the "Dec. 3 insurrection."

"If it were about retaliation, we would break up the Korea Military Academy, not merge the Army, Navy, and Air Force," he said, calling it "a story that makes no sense." The previous day, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back announced plans to establish a new Korea Armed Forces Academy by merging the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies.

Appearing on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" that day, Jin made these remarks and explained that regarding the law to establish the Korea Armed Forces Academy, "the party and the government plan to legislate by the end of this year." He added, "As long as legislation is completed within the year, the plan is to begin classes from March 2028."

As the background for the policy push, he cited the changed battlefield environment. "In the past, ground warfare, air warfare, and naval warfare were each separate, but now war must be designed in an integrated way," Jin said. "This is a time when we must plan and conduct war while viewing drones, satellites, and even AI in an integrated manner."

Although conservative opposition parties are strongly pushing back, Jin reaffirmed the intent to proceed with the merger of the three academies. When the host conveyed the objections raised by the opposition and reserve generals, Jin rebutted them point by point. "The Korea Military Academy, and the military academies, are symbolic spaces where your youth is buried and where a soldier's sense of calling and honor are condensed, aren't they?" Jin said, explaining the background of the opposition. "The academies are not completely disappearing, but aren't people resisting and pushing back emotionally while thinking they are disappearing?"

To the point that, given the integrated academy's location in Daejeon, it would be reduced to a provincial university and admission cutoffs would fall, he countered, "Don't students come to the military academy to become cadets because they want to be trained as elite officers of the armed forces and truly devote themselves to the nation as soldiers? The idea that such people would go if it's in Seoul but not go if it's in a provincial area — I don't think that's the case." He added, "The Navy and Air Force academies are in provincial areas, and only the Army academy is in Seoul," noting that "the military academies of most countries are all in provincial areas. They are not in the capital."

The People Power Party has been raising its voice in opposition day after day. Park Sung-hoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, immediately issued a commentary, saying, "We express strong regret over the arrogance and self-righteousness of the Lee Jae-myung administration in pushing through such a grave matter that will shape the nation's security for the next century, without even a single public hearing." He pointed out, "The government says it will hold formal public hearings and policy briefings only after treating the merger as a done deal, but is it truly public deliberation to ask for public opinion after all conclusions have already been reached?"

In response to the previous day's Defense Ministry announcement, People Power Party lawmaker Sung Il-jong, who served as chairman of the National Assembly Defense Committee in the first half of the 22nd Assembly, also wrote on Facebook, "Because a few generals from the Korea Military Academy led the martial law, and because Korea Military Academy graduates have mainly been active on the conservative right, they are trying to completely wipe out the Korea Military Academy at this opportunity." He argued, "It is unthinkable to push forward such a grave policy that shakes the entire root of our national defense because of the ruling forces' hatred."