Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul backs wartime command transfer and military academy reform

Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul said South Korea’s transfer of wartime operational control must reinforce, not weaken, its alliance with the United States.

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The transfer of wartime operational control will be pursued in a way that strengthens the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

Speaking on Sept. 3 as he arrived at a preparation office for his parliamentary confirmation hearing in Seoul, Kang said the transfer was possible because of the alliance. Without the South Korea-U.S. alliance, he said, the concept of transferring wartime control would not exist.

Asked about a proposal to merge the military academies for the Army, Navy and Air Force, Kang acknowledged that the issue had generated varied views and concerns. He said the goal should be to cultivate excellent talent. Asked whether the policy could be withdrawn, he described both the former and future academies as belonging to South Korea rather than to any individual institution.

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The transfer of wartime operational control is possible because of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Without the alliance, the concept of transferring wartime operational control would not even exist.

Kang, a retired Army four-star general and graduate of the 46th class of the Korea Military Academy, left active service last September and became ambassador to Saudi Arabia in January. He also said that when his philosophy conflicts with that of the president, he would distinguish what must remain unchanged from what must change in order to move toward genuine change.

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Whatever the military academies of the past looked like, wherever they were located, and whatever their names were, they were the military academies of the Republic of Korea. The military academies of the future will also belong to the Republic of Korea, and to no one else.

On whether he had been involved in the Dec. 3 emergency martial law declaration, Kang referred reporters to an earlier statement by the presidential chief of staff. Kang Hoon-sik said during last month’s Cabinet reshuffle announcement that a constitutional-respect task force and a Defense Ministry audit had found no involvement. Kang Shin-chul was deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command in Pyeongtaek at the time. He said he felt an indescribably heavy responsibility as a nominee but would fulfill the duty given to him.

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I feel a burden too heavy to express in words. I know how weighty the position of defense minister is, which makes it even more so. But I will fulfill the mission entrusted to me.