Kang served as CFC deputy commander during Dec. 3 martial law incident, seen as untouched by its fallout

Trusted across administrations as a strategist and man of virtue

Presidential office says he has no ties to martial law probe findings

Kang Shin-chul (second from right), former deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command, has been tapped as the second defense minister of the Lee Jae Myung administration. Kang attended the inaugural Defense Industry Day ceremony in July last year, which President Lee Jae Myung also attended. [Newsis]
Kang Shin-chul (second from right), former deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command, has been tapped as the second defense minister of the Lee Jae Myung administration. Kang attended the inaugural Defense Industry Day ceremony in July last year, which President Lee Jae Myung also attended. [Newsis]

Kang Shin-chul, former deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command, has been nominated as the second defense minister of the Lee Jae Myung administration.

President Lee reshuffled six Cabinet posts Sunday, including the defense portfolio.

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, announcing the appointments at a briefing that day, said the selections were aimed at protecting public safety through a strong national security posture and a thorough overhaul of the criminal justice system. He named Kang Shin-chul first among the nominees.

"The nominee currently serves as ambassador to Saudi Arabia and is a four-star general who held key posts including chief of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff," Kang Hoon-sik said, explaining the rationale for the appointment. "We expect him to boldly and swiftly forge a new path for defense reform — strengthening self-reliant defense capabilities to prepare for future warfare on the foundation of the solid Korea-US alliance, and advancing the integration of the military academies."

Born in Seoul, Kang Shin-chul graduated from Gyeongseong High School and the Korea Military Academy (46th class). He held a series of senior military positions, including chief of strategic planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, national security and defense strategy secretary at Cheong Wa Dae, chief of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and deputy commander of the CFC.

After 36 years of military service, he was appointed ambassador to Saudi Arabia in February.

Known for his gentle disposition and deep interest in history and music, Kang was widely regarded within the military as both a brilliant strategist and a man of virtue, with expertise in combined and joint operations, military strategy and defense policy.

His selection reflects a career that has transcended political administrations: he served as national security and defense strategy secretary at Cheong Wa Dae under the Moon Jae-in government, as CFC deputy commander under the Yoon Suk Yeol government, and has now been nominated as defense minister under the current administration after serving as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

If confirmed following National Assembly confirmation hearings, Kang will face a demanding agenda — including the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), a sudden reduction in joint Korea-US military exercises at Washington's request, and the push for defense reform initiatives such as the integration of the military academies.

Some observers note that the choice of a former CFC deputy commander signals that bilateral issues with the United States were very much in mind.

His appointment also marks the end of the civilian defense minister era, which began with the confirmation of Ahn Gyu-baek, closing a chapter that had lasted 64 years.

Kang shares the Korea Military Academy's 46th class with Park An-su, the former Army chief of staff who served as martial law commander and was a central figure in the Dec. 3 emergency martial law incident under the Yoon administration. Kang was serving as CFC deputy commander at the time, however, a role that kept him removed from the fallout of the martial law declaration.

Asked whether Kang had any involvement in the Dec. 3 emergency martial law incident, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said, "Based on the findings of the Constitution Respect Task Force and the Ministry of National Defense audit, I understand he was not implicated."

On the question of a successor ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Kang Hoon-sik said the confirmation hearing would take roughly a month and that the outcome would need to be seen first. "We will work diligently on the follow-up appointment accordingly," he added.


shindw@heraldcorp.com