Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Criticizes Proposed Military Academy Merger as Threat to National Security

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has expressed concerns over the government's recent push to merge the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies, warning that it could undermine the expertise and identity of each military branch.
In a post on his Facebook page titled "The officer training system, a century-long foundation of national security, must not be shaken," Mayor Oh stated, "The officer training system is a century-long foundation for national security."
He argued, "This is not something that should be pushed forward solely under the pretext of fulfilling a presidential campaign promise without sufficient review and public consensus. The surface-level justification of strengthening joint operations should not lead to undermining the expertise and identity that each branch has cultivated over a long period."
Mayor Oh cited the example of the United States, noting, "The U.S. also operates its Army, Navy, and Air Force academies separately, yet it enhances joint operation capabilities through joint staff systems and joint education."
He further used an analogy, stating, "I believe that jointness is not created by merging schools into one, but can only be achieved when each branch cooperates based on its own expertise. While comprehensive art is important, that is why art, music, and physical education colleges are not merged."
Mayor Oh also pointed out, "Moreover, if another goal of this merger is to relocate the Korea Military Academy to provide land for housing at the Taereung Country Club, we must be even more cautious."
He added, "Most importantly, the opinions of local residents must be considered. Neither the development of the Taereung Country Club nor the relocation of the Korea Military Academy is a matter for the central government to decide unilaterally. A process that fully reviews the impact on residents' living environment, traffic, education, culture, and the environment, and secures the consensus and agreement of the residents, must come first."
Mayor Oh emphasized, "The importance of housing supply cannot be overemphasized. However, the officer training system and the historical assets of the armed forces, which have been accumulated over 80 years, are difficult to restore once damaged. In particular, Taereung and Hwarangdae are symbolic spaces where the traditions of the Republic of Korea's armed forces are accumulated, and they are important security assets for Seoul."
He further criticized the move, saying, "I am concerned that just as the government is attempting to push 10,000 housing units into the Yongsan International Business District without proper school measures, they may also be intending to use the Korea Military Academy, a bastion of national security, simply to increase housing numbers."
In addition, Mayor Oh noted, "The opinions of the cadets and active-duty soldiers, who are the direct stakeholders of this policy, must also be sufficiently reflected."
Regarding the future direction of the military, Mayor Oh argued, "What is needed now is not a showy merger, but reform that enhances the military's competitiveness."
He continued, "A more urgent task is to restore the morale of the military, which is faltering due to declining application rates for junior officer positions, the brain drain of talented personnel, and issues with service conditions and treatment, and to ensure that young talent can choose the military with pride."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.