President Lee Jae-myung remarked today (the 5th), "How many military coups have there been in South Korea's history? Weren't they all carried out by the Army?" He added, "They were committed by graduates of the Korea Military Academy, but has anyone ever been held accountable for them?"

President Lee made the remarks while discussing the integration of the Army, Naval, and Air Force academies during a policy briefing for the Ministry of National Defense and other related agencies held at the Blue House.

His comments are interpreted as lending weight to the government's push for an integrated military academy, pointing out that graduates of the Korea Military Academy have committed wrongdoing by forming a faction of sorts.

President Lee asked, "What percentage of high-ranking generals are graduates of the Korea Military Academy? As you go higher up, isn't it almost entirely monopolized by the KMA?" He continued, "Even after committing acts that completely destroyed the constitutional order, aren't they still holding an overwhelming position?"

He went on to emphasize, "If we foster the military by separating them by service branch, allow a specific branch to overwhelmingly dominate the military for a very long period, and then after occasionally causing a coup that shatters the country, no one is held accountable, can that be right? Won't integration somewhat reduce such possibilities?"

In particular, he mentioned the emergency martial law decree from the previous administration, stating, "(Military personnel) could do it again in the future. Who could have imagined that someone would stage a coup once more?"

He added, "South Korea has democratized and become an advanced nation recognized worldwide, yet who would have thought that Army generals would cooperate to stage a military-backed palace coup?"

He also pointed out, "We cannot just brush this off as something that happened in the past and was suppressed. If it had succeeded, wouldn't Army captains have monitored (the government) everywhere like in the old days? Wouldn't non-commissioned officers have entered media offices to cross out (manuscripts) and censor the internet?"

He then stressed the need to push forward with the integrated military academy, saying, "The vast majority of officers and soldiers are loyal to the country and fulfilling their duties as service members, but a few commit such unforgivable acts. Shouldn't we eliminate the grounds for that?"

When Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back stated, "We will proceed with a sense of responsibility and seek persuasion and forge ahead until the public says it is enough," President Lee urged, "Do it swiftly, powerfully, and quickly. Just talking about it makes the pace of progress look a bit slow."

Furthermore, when Minister Ahn mentioned, "We are going through a very difficult process," President Lee pointed out, "Where in the world is there a reform that isn't difficult?"

The integration of the military academies is one of President Lee's presidential campaign pledges and national tasks. Last month, the Ministry of National Defense announced a basic plan to establish a four-year "Korea Armed Forces Academy" by merging the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies at Jaundae in Daejeon.

It has been reported that the policy implementation schedule has faced some delays compared to the original plan due to strong opposition from the alumni associations and veterans' organizations of each service academy.

Regarding criticisms that the academy integration policy amounts to "political retaliation" against the KMA, the Ministry of National Defense has explained that the policy goals are to strengthen joint operations, respond to troop reductions, and secure top-tier talent.

However, viewing President Lee's remarks today, the core objective of the academy integration policy appears to be holding the Korea Military Academy accountable for leading the three past military coups—the May 16 military coup, the December 12 military rebellion, and the December 3 insurrection—and preventing a recurrence.

In a statement released today, the Korea Military Academy Alumni Association criticized the move, saying, "The real intention behind the consolidation of the military academies has been revealed. Strengthening joint operations and fostering a smart, strong military were merely pretexts, and the decision stems from the President's perception of past history."

The Ministry of National Defense plans to hold a public hearing on the establishment of the Korea Armed Forces Academy on the 26th of this month to gather opinions from various sectors and formulate and announce detailed plans for its establishment in October.

Kim Hong-chol, Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy, stated during today's briefing, "We will push forward with the integrated military academy with a strong sense of momentum, as instructed by the President."

(Photo: Provided by the Blue House Press Corps, Yonhap News)