President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a ministry briefing held Wednesday at Cheong Wa Dae's banquet hall, attended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Patriots and Veterans. [Cheong Wa Dae press pool]
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a ministry briefing held Wednesday at Cheong Wa Dae's banquet hall, attended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Patriots and Veterans. [Cheong Wa Dae press pool]

The Korea Military Academy Alumni Association said Wednesday that the government's push to merge the military academies stems from President Lee Jae Myung's personal view of history.

The association expressed "deep regret and serious concern" over Lee's remarks labeling the Korea Military Academy a "coup school" and his order to accelerate the merger, pushing back directly against both.

The group said the government's stated rationale of strengthening jointness and building a smarter military is a cover for what is in fact political retaliation rooted in the president's views on past military coups.

"Military coups are grave crimes that trampled on South Korea's constitutional order and can never be justified," the association said. "However, using the illegal acts of some in the past as grounds to view today's Korea Military Academy and its many graduates through the same lens — and to restructure the military academy system on that basis — is difficult to regard as the right approach to national policy."

The group added that "generalizing the historical transgressions of a very small number as the responsibility of an entire educational institution could give the public the impression of political retaliation," and said such a move "would not serve national security either."

The association also raised questions about Lee's leadership as commander in chief. "The commander in chief is the supreme authority representing the entire Republic of Korea Armed Forces," it said. "Rather than revealing a mindset that targets a specific group or divides the military internally, the president should show leadership that embraces the entire armed forces and raises the morale and pride of service members."

The group also noted that "even today, the vast majority of Korea Military Academy graduates are quietly carrying out their duties for national security, holding loyalty to the Constitution and service to the people as their highest values." It said remarks that "generalize an entire group based on a single facet of the past, while ignoring their dedication, undermine military morale and do nothing to help the cohesion of the armed forces."

The association also took issue with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back's conduct. It criticized Ahn for failing to offer objective and balanced assessments at Wednesday's briefing, saying he "repeatedly gave answers that aligned with the president's views rather than presenting policy grounds and military rationale" — the very thing expected of the minister responsible for military expertise and national security.

The group went on to say that "the role of the defense minister is not to support the president's intentions, but to offer responsible opinions grounded in professional expertise for the sake of national security and the development of the military."

Earlier Wednesday, at the Ministry of National Defense briefing held at Cheong Wa Dae's banquet hall, Lee asked Defense Minister Ahn how many military coups had taken place in South Korea while discussing the establishment of a unified military academy. Lee then said, "They all happened in the Army, carried out by Korea Military Academy graduates — has anyone ever been held accountable for that?"

Lee continued: "The Korea Military Academy is at the center of no fewer than three coups, yet has never once been held accountable. They committed acts that completely destroyed the constitutional order three times over, and still held an overwhelmingly dominant position. So they do it again." He then ordered Ahn to "move quickly and forcefully" to speed up the merger.

In response, Ahn said he would "push forward with a sense of responsibility" and would "seek to persuade the public and press on until they say it is enough."


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