Defense Ministry Postpones Military Academy Integration Announcement

By Kim Hyun-soo

SEOUL, July 6 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry on Monday postponed the planned announcement of its proposal to integrate the nation's military academies into a single institution due to the defense chief's overlapping schedules, sources said.

The ministry had initially planned to unveil the outline of its plan Monday to newly establish a "National Military Academy" by integrating the academies of the Army, the Air Force and the Navy into one single entity.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back was supposed to announce it at a press briefing, but it was pushed back as Cheong Wa Dae requested Ahn's attendance at a meeting, presided over by President Lee Jae Myung, to review the "three mega projects" initiative, according to the sources.

Ahn also plans to leave for Turkey on Tuesday to accompany Lee for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit. Ahn was invited to a "social reception" along with the defense ministers of Australia, Japan and New Zealand on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

The ministry's plan to combine the military academies has come under fire from the main opposition party and graduates of the military academies. They claimed the government is pushing for the integration in a "hasty" manner without sufficient public debate.

The sources said the ministry is expected to reschedule a press briefing regarding the plan to integrate the military academies after Ahn returns from the overseas trip this week.