Review of Chungcheong area for relocation of Korea Military Academy... The Armed Forces Academy system will likely be applied from 2029 (comprehensive)

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Hyo-jeong and Kim Cheol-seon = The Ministry of National Defense, which is preparing a revision to the basic plan for the establishment of the Armed Forces Military Academy, is said to be considering applying integrated education for the army, navy, and construction for students entering the 2029 school year at the earliest.

Among the Army, Navy, and Civil Service that will be in charge of education for each service, it has been determined that the Military Service will be relocated to the Chungcheong region, while the Maritime Affairs and Civil Service education will use existing facilities in Jinhae and Cheongju, respectively, as campuses.

According to the office of a member of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on the 11th, the Ministry of National Defense recently prepared internally an amendment to the basic plan for the establishment of the Military Academy and explained it to the National Assembly.

The Ministry of National Defense is reported to have told the National Assembly that it is revising its plan to "a network-type integration consisting of the integrated main school and graduate school under the Armed Forces Academy and each military campus."

It has been tentatively decided to change the existing plan to establish an integrated Armed Forces Academy at Jaundae in Daejeon and provide education for four years to a 'network' format. The concept appears to be that within the larger framework of the Armed Forces Academy, there will be a main school, a graduate school, and a 'campus' for each military branch that provides integrated education.

The Navy's Jinhae campus and the Air Force's Cheongju campus will remain in their current locations, but the Army campus will be relocated to the Chungcheong area in consideration of accessibility to the main campus and the relocation of the central administrative agency to Sejong City. It is reported that sites in the Chungcheong region, including Jochiwon, are being reviewed.

The government believes that if existing maritime and construction facilities are utilized, the budget required can be significantly reduced compared to the previous basic plan of providing education for four years at Jaun University in Daejeon.

It was understood that he explained to the National Assembly that it was internally estimated that building a new military academy system would cost approximately 1.5 trillion won if the amendment goes ahead. Initially, it was expected that about 2.7 trillion won would be invested to create the Military Academy.

In addition, it is reported that the implementation plan for the admissions process will be made public around April next year and the direction of applying the Armed Forces Academy system to students entering the 2029 school year will be explained to the National Assembly.

Initially, there was a view within the government that it would be possible to enroll the first integrated cadets in the 2028 school year, when current high school second-year students enter college.

However, it was reported that weight was again placed on minimizing the impact on currently enrolled Army, Navy, and Civil Service cadets, and also respecting the purpose of the college entrance exam advance notice system, which requires the admission process plan to be announced 1 year and 10 months before the start of the admission year.

The most likely curriculum is the so-called '1+2+1' method, in which integrated education is provided in the first and fourth grades, and each group is provided in the second and third grades.

The Ministry of National Defense believes that this can increase the integration effect and guarantee professionalism compared to the existing '2+2' method in which Jaun University provides common education for the 1st and 2nd years and education tailored to each military service for the 3rd and 4th years.

The establishment of a new graduate school was also added. Minister of National Defense Kang Shin-cheol said at a cadet meeting the day before, “The school that can provide the best military master’s and doctoral programs is the end state,” and added, “Only then can we secure excellent professors and receive education from them.”

The Ministry of National Defense plans to soon announce a revised basic plan after consulting with the National Assembly, collecting opinions, and consulting with the party and government. Afterwards, we plan to lay a legal foundation, such as enacting a law to establish a military academy.

The Ministry of National Defense announced in a notice to reporters on this day, "There is no change in the basic principle and will to establish a military academy," and "Details such as the curriculum have not been confirmed."

He continued, “We plan to collect opinions from all walks of life, confirm and announce the revised basic plan, and proceed with the follow-up implementation procedures at a speedy pace without wavering.”