The heavy rains did not deter voices opposing the government's plan to consolidate military academies. On July 8, approximately 2,000 protesters gathered in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, to oppose the government's proposal to merge the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies and relocate the Army Academy outside of Seoul.
The rally, held on the steps of the National Assembly, was co-hosted by lawmakers Han Gi-ho and Lim Jong-deuk, alumni associations from the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies, parents of cadets, retired military personnel, and civic groups.
Despite the pouring rain, attendance exceeded organizers' expectations. After the hour-long rally, representatives delivered a resolution to the Speaker of the National Assembly and subsequently submitted it to Minister of National Defense An Gyu-baek.
Protesters criticized the government's plans for the consolidation and relocation as "hasty and lacking sufficient review," calling for an immediate withdrawal of the proposals.
This marks the first time the alumni associations of the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies have engaged in collective action regarding this issue. The government is considering a "2+2" model, where cadets from all branches would undergo common training in their first two years, followed by specialized training in their respective branches during their final two years. The Ministry of National Defense is expected to announce a final plan as early as this month.
The Ministry views the restructuring of military academies not merely as a school merger but as a reconfiguration of the future talent development system for warfare. Minister An emphasized at a recent meeting of key military commanders that advanced technologies such as AI, drones, and quantum technology are changing the nature of warfare, stating the need to cultivate officers capable of designing drone battlefields and conceptualizing AI-based operational systems. He noted that the current educational methods may not adequately prepare the military for the future beyond 2040.
Minister An also pointed to the decline in entrance exam scores for military academies as a signal of the need for reform, arguing that the current academies fail to instill confidence in talented individuals regarding their potential and vision. The Ministry maintains that while the expertise of each branch must be preserved, cadets should learn and train together from the outset to foster jointness. Plans are also being considered to enhance educational standards through improvements in curriculum, faculty, facilities, and infrastructure, as well as partnerships with civilian universities.
However, opponents argue that the assumption that consolidation will directly lead to enhanced jointness is flawed. They contend that joint operations stem from each branch having sufficient expertise tailored to their operational environments and missions before integrating.
Alumni representatives from each military academy emphasized these concerns during the rally. They argued that Army officers need to develop field command capabilities, Navy officers must understand naval operations in a maritime environment, and Air Force officers should be trained in the speed and technical characteristics of aerospace operations from the beginning.
They believe that military academy education is not merely a classroom experience but a time to internalize each branch's culture and mission awareness. Just as Navy officers must grow by experiencing the sea and Air Force officers must learn the mindset of aerospace operations early on, they argue that each branch's identity cannot be formed solely through later-stage education.
Debate continues over international examples. While countries like Canada and Australia operate integrated or common training-based officer development systems, opponents argue that the scale of forces and security environments differ significantly from South Korea, which is a divided nation in military confrontation with North Korea. They assert that the ability to perform each branch's missions immediately upon commissioning is more critical.
Some cite Venezuela as a notable failure of politically motivated military academy consolidation, claiming that the integration pursued during former President Hugo Chávez's administration was more about strengthening political control over the military than enhancing military efficiency. Some retired military personnel point out that even North Korea, with its centralized military structure, operates separate training institutions for Air Force officers.
Lawmaker Han Gi-ho stated, "National policies must have both justification and practical benefits," adding that the consolidation of military academies lacks both.
The representative of the alumni associations described the proposal as a "hasty policy," arguing that it would not contribute to enhancing jointness or attracting talented individuals and would not yield significant financial benefits.
He asserted, "National security cannot be a subject of experimentation," emphasizing that it should not become a political pawn.
The resolution adopted at the rally stated that any reform of the officer training system should be based on thorough research and consensus among the public, military experts, retired personnel, the education sector, and stakeholders, rather than political considerations.
The resolution declared, "National security must never be a subject of policy experimentation," and stressed that the officer training system responsible for South Korea's future must not be swayed by political interests.
Lee Yang-gu, the chair of the rally organizing committee, criticized the government's proposal for misunderstanding the essence of military joint operations.
In an interview, he stated, "Simply educating cadets together does not create jointness; jointness is only possible after each branch has developed its expertise."
He explained that in the current military education system, jointness training occurs after each branch has built its specialized knowledge. He noted, "Each branch trains officers while preserving its unique traditions and expertise, and jointness is reinforced later at joint military colleges or joint staff colleges," adding that there are separate Army, Navy, and Air Force academies, and jointness is enhanced at the joint staff college after reaching a certain rank.
He further pointed out that actual joint operations are primarily handled by officers at the rank of major or higher in joint staff or combined commands, indicating that emphasizing jointness training at the military academy level does not align with reality.
A representative of the parents of cadets expressed concern, stating, "Our children are confused and hurt by reports that their chosen military academy may be consolidated and that the Army Academy may be relocated." He criticized the Ministry of National Defense for failing to adequately explain the plans to cadets or gather their opinions.
He also argued that relocating the Army Academy outside of Seoul could further diminish its appeal, which is already struggling to attract talented individuals. Daejeon's military education and training facility, Jowondae, is being considered as one of the candidates for the common training program.
The committee chair stated, "If the government is worried about declining application rates, it should improve the treatment of professional soldiers, especially junior officers, as that is the way to attract talented individuals."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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