Under a revised proposal presented to lawmakers, the Korea Military Academy, currently located in Seoul, would move to the central Chungcheong region, while the Naval Academy in Jinhae and the Air Force Academy in Cheongju would remain at their existing locations.
Several sites are reportedly under consideration for the Army academy, including an area near the Army's 32nd Infantry Division in Sejong.
The revised plan marks a shift from the government's earlier proposal to consolidate all three service academies into a single institution in Daejeon.
Instead, the military is considering a system combining joint education with service-specific training.
Under the proposed "1+2+1" structure, cadets would study together during their first and fourth years, while spending their second and third years at their respective service academies.
The revised approach is expected to reduce the estimated cost of establishing the integrated academy system to approximately 1.5 trillion won, compared with earlier estimates exceeding 3 trillion won.
The ministry is also reportedly considering announcing admission requirements in April 2027, with the new system taking effect for the 2029 incoming class rather than 2028 as previously discussed.
However, the Defense Ministry stressed that no final decision had been made.
"Our fundamental commitment to establishing a unified military academy remains unchanged," the ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
"No details, including the curriculum, have been finalized," it added.
The ministry said it would finalize and announce the revised plan after consultations with lawmakers and other stakeholders, before proceeding with implementation.
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