Photo : YONHAP News
President Lee Jae Myung called for the integration of South Korea’s Army, Navy, and Air Force academies, arguing that the separate institutions have helped entrench an Army elite centered on Korea Military Academy graduates and that breaking up such networks could reduce the risk of military coups.
Lee made the remarks on Wednesday during the defense ministry’s policy briefing at Cheong Wa Dae.
Lee said that South Korea’s past military coups had been carried out by Army figures, particularly graduates of the Korea Military Academy, and questioned whether those responsible had ever been held accountable.
He argued that maintaining separate military academies could allow one branch of the armed forces to gain excessive influence over time and increase the likelihood of future coups, criticizing the continued dominance of Korea Military Academy graduates in the sector.
Referring to the short-lived 2024 martial law declaration, Lee said few had expected Army generals to support a sitting president’s attempt at a military takeover in a democratized, developed country.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said he would pursue the integration plan with a sense of responsibility, and Lee urged the ministry to move faster, saying that discussions had not led to sufficient progress.