"The ministry is currently refining its plan to establish a unified armed forces academy to train elite officers capable of leading future warfare," said a ministry spokesperson during a regular briefing. "Nothing has been finalized."
The statement came after a source said that the ministry was considering a so-called "1+2+1" model instead of its original plan to fully integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force academies into a single four-year institution in Daejeon.
Under one proposal, cadets would spend their first year at their respective service academies, undergo two years of joint education at a unified academy and return to their original institutions for their final year before commissioning.
Another option would reverse the arrangement, beginning and ending with joint education while reserving the middle two years for service-specific training. Both proposals would allow the existing academies to remain in operation.
A further option reportedly under discussion would add a year of graduate education, creating a five-year "1+2+1+1" program.
Asked whether Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul had considered the revised model, the ministry spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied the report.
"We have received various opinions and are continuing to listen to a broad range of views," the spokesperson said, adding that the ministry would explain its finalized proposal to the public soon.
The discussions follow a report by a local broadcaster last week suggesting that the Korea Naval Academy could remain in Jinhae, citing former Navy chief Hwang Ki-chul, who said the proposal had gained support among presidential and parliamentary officials.
The defense ministry has yet to confirm whether the academy would remain in Jinhae under the revised plan.
The government announced its original proposal in July to establish a unified four-year military academy at the Jaundae military complex in Daejeon, with the aim of strengthening joint operations and cooperation among the armed services.
The proposal drew strong opposition from military academy alumni associations and local communities, particularly in Jinhae, where concerns have grown over the potential loss of naval training facilities and the economic impact of relocating the academy.
The ministry had initially planned to announce detailed implementation measures in October but postponed the decision amid continued consultations with military personnel, cadets and other stakeholders.
Kang, who took office in September, has repeatedly emphasized the need for integrated military education while indicating that the original proposal requires further revisions.
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