The ministry had planned to hold the briefing at 10:30 a.m. at its headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, to announce the basic plan for establishing the National Military Academy. However, it notified reporters about the delay approximately an hour and a half before the scheduled start.
Minister Ahn Gyu-baek, who was set to lead the briefing, was called to attend a 'Mega Project Public-Private Joint Review Meeting' at the Blue House at 10 a.m. on the same day.
Sources indicate that the Blue House made a last-minute request for Ahn's attendance at the meeting.
The Defense Ministry is expected to reschedule the briefing on the National Military Academy after Ahn accompanies President Lee Jae-myung to the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7-8.
During the summit, NATO plans to host a separate working dinner for defense ministers from member and partner countries.
According to NATO's website, Ahn and the defense ministers from the so-called 'IP4' countries—South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand—have also been invited to this event.
The Defense Ministry is pursuing a reform plan to establish the National Military Academy, which aims to enhance joint operations in modern warfare by integrating the selection of cadets from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The proposal includes common training for first and second-year cadets, followed by specialized military training in their respective branches for third and fourth-year cadets.
However, there are growing concerns about social backlash, prompting calls for the government to transparently explain the proposed integration of military academies.
The ministry has commissioned the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis (KIDA) to conduct research on the integration and reform methods, but it has yet to release specific findings.
During a regular briefing, Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na stated regarding the KIDA research results, "We will announce the basic plan soon and will hold public hearings and policy briefings to disclose detailed research findings and gather opinions."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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