Defense Minister Pushes for Unified Military Academy Amid Service Pushback

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Wednesday doubled down on the need to combine military academies into a single education entity, stressing the need to break down what he called "silos" between armed forces and achieve all-domain warfare capabilities.

Ahn made the remarks in a meeting with top commanders meant to review their progress in the first half of the year. His remarks come amid strong pushback from the armed services, as well as the alumni associations of the three separate academies of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

"We talk about all-domain warfare, but in reality, the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Marine Corps each talk about their own all-domain operations in their own silos. Am I wrong? The expertise of each armed force must be protected, but that expertise must never become a barrier to integration," Ahn said in his opening remarks.

"It is time for a fundamental paradigm shift to effectively respond to the future battlefield and nurture national talent capable of leading society," he added.

The drive for the tentatively named National Military Academy has faced strong opposition from the armed forces arguing that each military service requires specialized training tailored to their distinct operational environment.

They also argue that the move risks undermining the military's competitiveness and capabilities over the long haul.

The move has also prompted retired top brass and alumni associations of the armed forces to join forces and issue formal statements calling on the government to reconsider the plan.

Under the consolidation plan, cadets from all branches will take common courses for the first two years, before moving on to their respective tracks to receive branch-specific training.

At the meeting, Ahn defended the move as essential for military transformation amid the demographic cliff and evolving trends in modern combat, including the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI).

"We need officers who can design drone-focused battlefields and make AI-driven operational frameworks. If we fail to nurture such talent, we cannot guarantee the future of our military beyond 2040," he said.

"Ensuring that every single cadet expands his or her horizon beyond their military service, to the ROK Armed Forces and to the entire nation, that should be the ultimate end state," the minister added, referring to South Korea by the acronym of its official name, the Republic of Korea.

The government is reportedly seeking to revise legislation to allow the envisioned combined military academy to open its recruitment process next year for 2028 admission.

However, experts note the announcement of such a change needs to have already been made by the education ministry for that to happen, as any changes to the college admission process must be made public 22 months before the start of a new academic year under the relevant law.

The defense ministry claims a specialized college, such as the military academy, is not always bound by the Higher Education Act.

The consolidation blueprint is expected to be unveiled as early as this month, with the government set to push for legislative revisions following a series of public hearings.