Military academy alumni unite against merger, relocation plan
About 2,000 alumni, parents and veterans gathered at the National Assembly to oppose the proposed integration and relocation of Korea’s military academies.
Graduates and parents of cadets of the Korea Army, Navy and Air Force academies stage a rally at the National Assembly in western Seoul on July 8.LIM HYUN-DONG
Alumni associations of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies on Wednesday launched their first joint protest against the proposed merger of the three military academies and the relocation of the Korea Military Academy.
The three alumni associations staged a rally on the outdoor staircase of the National Assembly’s main building in western Seoul. About 2,000 people, including cadets' parents and members of veterans' groups, attended the event to protest the government's reform plan, according to the organizers.
As demonstrations are technically prohibited on National Assembly grounds, the event took place in the form of a press conference led by lawmakers. Conservative People Power Party Reps. Han Ki-ho and Lim Jong-deuk — both Korea Military Academy graduates — joined the event alongside former academy principals and retired generals.
“National security must never become the subject of policy experiments or political interests,” the groups said in a joint statement. “The government is rushing ahead with the merger and relocation of the military academies under the guise of defense reform. As the issue is directly tied to the history and identity of the armed forces, as well as the nation's overall security, it must undergo objective review and win public consensus and broad social agreement.”
The alumni associations argued that a unified military academy system would undermine the specialized expertise of each service.
“The policy would do little to attract outstanding cadets or meaningfully strengthen jointness within the military,” Park Pan-jun, head of the Korea Military Academy Alumni Association, said.
The Republic of Korea Naval Academy’s alumni association warned that the plan would compromise the distinct identity and professionalism of naval officers. The Republic of Korea Air Force Academy’s alumni association said it would limit the military's ability to train elite officers specializing in air and space operations.
Cadets salute during a graduation ceremony held at the Korea Military Academy in northern Seoul on Feb. 27.REPUBLIC OF KOREA ARMY
“Creating an environment that encourages talented young people to choose military service is a far more urgent task than integrating the academies,” former Army Chief of Staff Kim Yo-hwan said.
The groups vowed to continue their campaign through lawful means until their demands are met. After the rally, they planned to visit the Ministry of National Defense to deliver their resolution.
The Defense Ministry is drafting a reform plan to establish a new armed forces academy and to recruit cadets for the Army, Navy and Air Force through a unified admissions system designed to strengthen joint operations across the services.
Under the proposal, cadets would complete a common curriculum during their first two years at the Jaundae military complex in Daejeon and other facilities before selecting a service branch in their third year and pursuing specialized training during their final two years.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back was originally set to unveil the reform plan on Monday, but the announcement was delayed because of scheduling changes tied to President Lee Jae Myung's attendance at the NATO summit.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
