PPP leader vows to block government plan to integrate military academies

Main opposition People Power Party leader Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok on Monday vowed to block the government's plan to integrate South Korea's Army, Navy and Air Force academies, one of the Lee Jae Myung administration's major military reform initiatives.

Jang made the remarks at a forum at the National Assembly on alternatives to the proposed merger, calling the plan a step toward weakening the country's military.

"The ultimate goal of merging the military academies is the collapse of national defense by draining the strength of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces," Jang said.

He also criticized plans to establish the integrated academy at the Jaun-dae military complex in Daejeon, pointing to the lack of facilities such as an airfield and a port that are needed for service-specific training.

The Defense Ministry unveiled its basic plan for the new academy on July 16, proposing that cadets from the Army, Navy and Air Force academies be jointly selected and educated for four years at an integrated military academy. The government has been considering Jaun-dae as the site, citing the concentration of military education and training facilities there.

The ministry has said the integration is intended to strengthen jointness among the services, better prepare officers for future warfare and improve the efficiency of officer education.

The proposal, however, drew further attention after Lee linked the issue to the military's history of involvement in coups during a Defense Ministry policy briefing on Aug. 5.

Lee said the Army Military Academy had been at the center of repeated military coups and questioned why it had never been held accountable, adding that integrating the academies could reduce the chances of similar military intervention in politics.

The plan has faced opposition from retired military leaders and alumni groups from the three service academies, who argue that integration could undermine service-specific expertise and traditions. The Army, Navy and Air Force academy alumni associations have held rallies against the plan and publicly challenged the government's rationale for the merger.

At the National Assembly forum, Jang said the People Power Party would use "all available means" to stop the plan.

Jang was scheduled to visit the Air Force Academy in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, later Monday to hear views on the proposed integration.

He is also scheduled to visit the Naval Academy in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Friday to hear concerns over the proposed merger.

The People Power Party leader previously served as an Air Force officer and as an instructor at the academy.