South Korean military academy alumni demand apology from defense minister over alleged misrepresentation

Alumni associations from South Korea's Army, Navy, and Air Force academies are demanding an explanation and apology from Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek, accusing him of misrepresenting their recent meeting. The associations claim Ahn initially suggested considering a plan to maintain the current academy structure while pursuing educational reforms.

During the meeting on Tuesday, alumni representatives stated they clearly heard Ahn propose exploring options that would preserve the existing academy system. They also reported that Ahn agreed to publicly share the process and results of such considerations. The alumni associations initially viewed the meeting positively, describing it as a constructive and open dialogue.

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The Defense Minister has made a mockery of the alumni associations of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

However, the Ministry of National Defense quickly issued a statement denying that Ahn had said the current system would be maintained. The ministry asserted that Ahn had only expressed a willingness to listen to various opinions during the discussion about establishing a unified military academy. This contradiction has led the alumni associations to accuse the minister of "making a mockery" of them.

If a satisfactory explanation and apology are not provided, the alumni associations are considering boycotting an upcoming public hearing on the establishment of a unified military academy. They have also publicly requested a meeting with President Lee Jae-myung, believing he is the only one with the actual authority and power to find a resolution to the academy integration issue.

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We have come to realize that the Defense Minister has no authority to take action on the integration of military academies, and any discussion or suggestion is useless.