Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back [Lee Sang-seop]
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back [Lee Sang-seop]

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said Monday that Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back's absence from a public hearing on the establishment of a unified military academy, scheduled for Wednesday, was not a decisive factor in the event's success.

Spokesperson Jeong Bit-na said at a briefing that day that "a public hearing is a forum for gathering opinions from a wide range of stakeholders," adding that discussions would be led by a moderator and include panelists representing both sides of the debate. "We do not view the minister's attendance as a critical element of holding the hearing," she said.

Asked whether Ahn would attend future hearings, Jeong said, "This will not be the only hearing, so please watch for what comes next," adding that the ministry would "make every effort to ensure the purpose of the hearing is fully realized."

On calls from the combined alumni associations of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies for the minister to attend, Jeong said Ahn had already visited each of the service academies on multiple occasions and held separate forums for dialogue. "We will continue to gather opinions through various channels going forward," she said.

Ahn plans to compile and thoroughly review opinions gathered at this week's hearing and other forums before announcing a detailed plan for the academy's establishment in October.

Ahn had earlier signaled his willingness to engage with the alumni associations despite ongoing tensions. "Even in wartime, we communicate and talk with the enemy — members of the same defense community must be able to talk to one another," he told reporters. "Our views may differ, but I believe we share the same goal. There have been moments of friction between us, and full reconciliation may not happen overnight, but I believe we are in a position to have an open conversation."

The Defense Ministry announced its basic plan on July 16 to merge the Army, Navy and Air Force academies into a single unified institution to be established at Jaun Base in Daejeon. Under the plan, cadets would receive integrated education in their early years before transitioning to service-specific specialized training in their upper years, with the aim of strengthening both joint operational capability and branch-level expertise. The consolidation of the service academies is a campaign pledge and state policy priority of President Lee Jae Myung.


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