KOR- Integration of Army, Navy, and Air Force academies has wrong diagnosis and prescription
- Defense Ministry claimed no link to Dec. 3 martial law, but President Lee came clean
- Blaming KMA for coups? Was Yoon, who led it, a KMA graduate?
- "Scarlet letter" on KMA, branding them as potential coup forces
- Establishment at Jaundae in Daejeon? Will top talent and faculty move down there?
- Two years of specialized Army, Navy, and Air Force education is too short... Effectiveness of integration questioned
- Consecutive controversies in 1st Corps... "Bureaucratic inertia" and "a new breed of political soldiers"
- Non-KMA 1st Corps commander instructed to refrain from warning shots upon North Korean approach
■ Broadcast: SBS Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show (FM 103.5 MHz 7:00 – 9:00)
■ Date: August 6, 2026 (Thursday)
■ Host: Attorney Kim Tae-hyun
■ Guest: Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party (National Defense Committee member)
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Voices of criticism are emerging from the military and opposition parties regarding the government's push to integrate the Army, Naval, and Air Force Academies. Joining us today to examine various military issues, including the academy integration, is Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee. Good morning, Representative.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Good morning.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: First, one of the hottest issues right now is the government's plan to integrate the three service academies—Army, Navy, and Air Force. Looking at the method, they announced plans to create a "4-Year Armed Forces Academy" in Daejeon. What is your fundamental position on this integration itself?
[Yoo Yong-won]: When we discuss measures for a problem, we talk about diagnosis and prescription. The core issue here is that both the diagnosis and prescription for this matter are wrong. The Ministry of National Defense claims that integration is necessary to strengthen jointness for high-tech future warfare involving AI and drones, and to improve the declining quality of military academy education. However, there was a task force for military academy educational reform. What they recommended was not Jaundae, but conducting integrated education for first- and second-year cadets at the Korea Military Academy (KMA) in Taereung, Seoul, and then sending third- and fourth-year cadets to the regions where the existing Naval and Air Force Academies are located.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So a common curriculum for 1st and 2nd years, and dispersing into respective branches for 3rd and 4th years.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Right, like sending Navy cadets to the Naval Academy in Jinhae, and so on. But this was distorted in the government's final policy-making process. Due to political intentions—as the President came clean the day before yesterday [August 4]—he spoke to the effect that KMA graduates led three coups, and integration is needed to prevent this. Because political motives are involved, it is flawed. The most symbolic event showing this occurred yesterday [August 5], when 46 former Chiefs of Staff from the Army, Navy, and Air Force gathered and released a statement urging a reexamination of the academy integration.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: They opposed it.
[Yoo Yong-won]: And this includes many former Chiefs of Staff who served as military leaders not only under conservative administrations but under progressive administrations as well.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: What the Democratic Party and the Ministry of National Defense argue as the rationale for integration is nurturing competent integrated talent and building a smart, strong military. Looking at recent Middle East conflicts, modern warfare utilizes drones and AI, making strict distinctions between Army, Navy, and Air Force meaningless. They argue we must integrate to smartly prepare for modern warfare. That is their core justification.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Do you think this justification itself is correct?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Well, the direction itself is correct.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: The direction itself is correct?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes, the purpose is valid. But let me ask a straightforward question. Which country is representative of engaging in high-tech warfare using drones and AI?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: The United States.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Exactly, the United States. Isn't it also engaged in the Iran conflict right now?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That's true.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Striking 1,200 targets a day using AI. But is there any talk of integrating service academies in the U.S.?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I haven't heard of any.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Indeed, none at all. If integrating service academies were necessary to prepare for future warfare, such discussions would have already taken place in the United States. There are none whatsoever.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So you're saying the general direction and objective itself make sense.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes, the intent.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Let's call it the intent. If that's the stated intent, do you believe the actual purpose of integrating the three service academies lies elsewhere?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Precisely. That's why I said the President effectively came clean the day before yesterday [August 4]. Until now, the Defense Ministry's official stance was that it had nothing to do with the Dec. 3 martial law, emphasizing that preparing for future warfare and improving educational quality were the main objectives.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: The three coups mentioned by the President yesterday were all led by the Army.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Led by the KMA.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: By the KMA.
[Yoo Yong-won]: However, there are factual inaccuracies in that statement. The "three coups" refer to May 16 [1961], December 12 [1979], and December 3 [2024].
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Yoo Yong-won]: When asked if anyone had ever been punished, Minister Ahn Gyu-back said no, but wasn't justice served for December 12? From former presidents to participating military officials, punishments were carried out. As for the Dec. 3 martial law, while Minister Kim Yong-hyun, a KMA graduate, played a key role, wasn't it President Yoon Suk Yeol who led it? Is President Yoon a KMA graduate? No. So this is barking up the wrong tree.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So do you believe the KMA has no issues at all in that regard?
[Yoo Yong-won]: No. It is true that certain KMA graduates committed those misdeeds. Therefore, education on constitutional values needs to be strengthened. However, that doesn't mean we should integrate the Naval and Air Force Academies as well.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: For instance, the Hanahoe faction that led December 12 was dismantled when President Kim Young-sam came to power.
[Yoo Yong-won]: It was dismantled.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Since then, many evaluated that the military, especially the Army, was cleaned up.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But during the Dec. 3 insurrection, terms like "Chungam High School line" emerged, and generals surrounding former Minister Kim Yong-hyun clearly led it.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So factions form within factions in any organization. Is there a need to clean up or purge such factions?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Punishments are currently being carried out against those key participants. While there was talk of the Chungam High School network, whether that stemmed from flawed KMA education requires verification. Many view that it did not.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Also, there is another perspective: If you integrate the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies, it's fine if they hold right mindset, but if they harbour misguided ideas, couldn't they cause an even bigger incident?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Having tanks, ships, and aircraft all together.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Exactly. That point is being made persuasively as well.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So you agree with the President's idea that specific military factions or consolidated power groups should be addressed.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But that shouldn't lead to integrating the three academies, correct?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Exactly. That is why I say the prescription is wrong. What pains me is that many KMA cadets and junior officers who graduated from KMA are currently working hard in frontline regions.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That's true.
[Yoo Yong-won]: To them, this sounds like being told, "You are potential coup forces." Stigmatizing them with a scarlet letter deeply hurts their morale, which is truly regrettable.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Let me ask you this then. You view it as the President wanting to eliminate the Army structure because he pointed out all three coups were led by the Army.
[Yoo Yong-won]: His statements certainly invited that interpretation.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Leaving aside political aspects, even if we assume this is purely to build a smart, strong military, is the current push for 3-academy integration still wrong?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Even if integration itself were deemed correct, location matters tremendously. Where is the educational institution located? People often debate the geographical limits for attracting top AI talent—whether Pangyo, Yongin, or Daejeon. The educational reform task force, chaired by a university professor, originally recommended eliminating the golf course at KMA in Taereung, Seoul, using the KMA campus for integrated 1st and 2nd year education for Army, Navy, and Air Force, and then sending 3rd and 4th year cadets to the current Air Force Academy region and Naval Academy in Jinhae. Educating 1st and 2nd year cadets in the Seoul area would help attract superior students and faculty, as top professors are often reluctant to relocate far into the provinces. That was the original proposal. But now, the government plans to hold all integrated education at Jaundae.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Daejeon.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes. So location is an issue. It raises question marks over whether educational quality can truly be improved.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Secondly, while Jaundae looks vast on the surface, spanning millions of pyeong, various educational institutions are already located there, leaving limited physical space. Cost is another factor.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: But you mentioned the direction and intent were good. Realistically, if the government pushes this forward, it is likely to be implemented.
[Yoo Yong-won]: I believe integrating the service academies has fundamental limits in terms of effectiveness. Because—
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Building a smart military is the right direction, but integration itself...
[Yoo Yong-won]: Because as advanced weapon systems like AI and drones become more important, specialized expertise unique to each branch is required even more. Questions arise as to whether two years of specialized education are sufficient. Many experts analyze that maintaining four years of separate, tailored education for each service branch is more effective in building a high-tech military for the future. I agree with that assessment.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Put simply, two years is too short for specialized education.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Even if you and the People Power Party oppose it, with 107 seats, there is realistically no way to block it.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Realistically, if they force it through—just as they eventually did with abolishing supplementary investigative powers—they will likely succeed. However, I feel the President's recent remarks poked a hornet's nest in military sentiment.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Yoo Yong-won]: That was clearly demonstrated when 46 former Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force issued a joint statement. Backlash is likely to grow. While public hearings are planned, questions remain over whether prudent opposition voices will be properly heard, especially since the President chided Minister Ahn Gyu-back during the policy briefing to speed up the process.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: If this integration happens, what do you think will happen to our military?
[Yoo Yong-won]: As far as I know, the government aims to begin recruitment for the 2028 academic year. Physically, that is extremely difficult. Forcing it through will likely cause significant confusion.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: I see. Recently, several issues have surfaced in the military. In particular, the 1st Corps mistook a U.S. Marine Corps drone for a North Korean one, and troops were on guard duty without loaded ammunition. The President severely reprimanded the military over these incidents, all of which occurred within the 1st Corps. What do you see as the root cause of these problems?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Broadly speaking, following the Dec. 3 martial law, senior generals and military personnel involved directly or indirectly are being punished. While those deserving punishment are being held accountable, unfair victims also seem to emerge. This has led to bureaucratic inertia in the military and the emergence of a new breed of political soldiers.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: What do you mean by a "new breed of political soldiers"?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Looking at the 1st Corps commander in question—who, by the way, is a non-KMA graduate—setting aside the order not to load live ammunition, the Military Demarcation Line inside the DMZ is the border, isn't it?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Yes.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Standard protocol dictates warning broadcasts first when North Koreans approach, followed by warning shots if they get closer. Yet it later came to light that he instructed troops to refrain even from warning shots.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Not to fire warning shots even if North Korean troops approach?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Then what are troops supposed to do?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Exactly. This shows the emergence of an undesirable military leadership overly conscious of North Korea.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So commanders are playing it safe, eyeing the administration and North Korea?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes. As you know, the Lee Jae-myung administration is quite conscious of North Korea. That mindset should not affect frontline field commanders, but it clearly has. With due respect to those serving silently in the military, on the surface, the South Korean military spends 65 trillion won in defense budget, maintains a large force, and exports advanced arms abroad, looking formidable. But internally, I worry it is becoming a military plagued by severe osteoporosis—decaying from within.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: So this isn't just a 1st Corps problem, but potentially a problem for the entire military?
[Yoo Yong-won]: It could become one. Though other cases need further verification.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: It could be an issue for the entire military.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Osteoporosis means looking fine on the outside, but bones decaying inside.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Exactly.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: That is concerning. I see. While you're here, let's touch upon another issue. Widely reported in morning newspapers today, reports from the U.S., citing Under Secretary Colby, indicate the U.S. Department of Defense is preparing to reshape its nuclear strategy toward increasing the proportion of short-range tactical nuclear weapons.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Yes.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Some morning papers speculate that if realized, tactical nuclear weapons could be deployed to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). How do you view this?
[Yoo Yong-won]: Conservatives have called for redeploying tactical nuclear weapons, arguing the surest way to trust U.S. extended deterrence is having them visible right before us. The U.S. has consistently maintained a negative stance on that. The resurgence of tactical nuclear weapon discussions stems from China and Russia—especially China—rapidly advancing low-yield tactical nukes and missiles. The U.S. finds its capabilities limited in response, so developing usable low-yield weapons serves to deter China. Strategic nuclear weapons carry such immense power that people doubted they could ever be used.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Yoo Yong-won]: But tactical nuclear weapons have much smaller yields.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Making them usable?
[Yoo Yong-won]: While larger than conventional weapons, they are sub-kiloton scale in technical terms. Developing such weapons might tempt political leaders to actually use them, increasing risk.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Right.
[Yoo Yong-won]: However, deploying them on the Korean Peninsula is a separate matter. Most newly developed options are tactical gravity bombs, requiring deployment at air bases. In a war, what would North Korea target first?
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Those air bases.
[Yoo Yong-won]: They would target USFK tactical nukes. And they know the location because air base deployments are obvious, making them vulnerable. The U.S. understands this risk, so I believe actual deployment on the peninsula is unlikely.
[Kim Tae-hyun]: Understood. We will conclude today's discussion here. That was Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party. Thank you.
[Yoo Yong-won]: Thank you.
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※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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