Beyond Mao's Maxim: Defense Minister's Remarks on Cadets Sparks Stir

Recently embroiled in controversy for citing Mao Zedong's personal motto as his own, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back was found to have taken issue with the attitudes of cadets from other military academies during a meeting with Air Force Academy cadets.

According to sources, Minister Ahn received a question from a fourth-year cadet during the Air Force Academy cadet meeting in June.

The question was aimed at whether education conducted at an integrated military academy could be properly delivered without compromising the identity of each service branch.

In response, Minister Ahn explained that cadets could build an advanced posture as service members during their first and second years, and then proceed to their respective service academies in their third and fourth years for intensive training, before bringing up a different point.

After mentioning the "posture as a military officer," Minister Ahn reportedly stated, "Because such things were lacking at other military academies, events that should never have happened and can no longer happen—such as the May 16 military coup, the December 12 military rebellion, and the December 3 martial law—took place."

Toward the end of the meeting, Minister Ahn also mentioned cadets from other military academies.

In his closing remarks, Minister Ahn said, "Unlike cadets at other military academies, your attitudes and appearances, alongside your diverse opinions and content, were truly wonderful." He added, "While problems are perceived in the logical reasoning and attitudes of cadets at other military academies, Air Force Academy cadets, contrasting with the dignity of other academies, were very serious, and the quality and quantity of their questions were excellent."

Previously, Minister Ahn also held meetings with cadets at the Korea Military Academy and the Naval Academy.

Before the Air Force Academy meeting, Minister Ahn sparked controversy by stating that his personal motto was "chuobianjing" (staying calm and unfazed in the face of changing situations), which Mao Zedong always kept close to his heart while ruling the Chinese mainland. In response, the Ministry of National Defense explained, "It was merely a humanistic metaphor intended to urge unwavering responses to shifting political landscapes, with absolutely no intention to endorse or emphasize any specific political figure or ideology."

Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Lee Da-in | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.