‘The first civilian minister in 64 years’ Ahn Kyu-baek “Decisions on troop deployments must not be based on the U.S.… The minister’s seat was one of patience”[Interview]

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Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek is interviewed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 7th. Jung Hyo-jin, reporter

‘A civilian Minister of National Defense for the first time in 64 years.’ It is the symbolic epithet attached to Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek, who took office with the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration. After roughly seven months without a leader following the December 3 coup, Minister Ahn assumed office with the task not only of commanding the military but also of leading reform based on civilian control.

Having served for many years on the National Assembly’s Defense Committee and been regarded as a ‘defense expert,’ Minister Ahn expanded civilianization within the Ministry of National Defense after taking office, while moving to refine the military’s command structure and institutions in the wake of the December 3 coup. He also accelerated reform tasks that restructure the military, such as reorganizing the Defense Counterintelligence Command and integrating the three service academies.

As his departure neared, a weighty pending issue landed on his desk: reviewing a troop dispatch to the Strait of Hormuz. On the criteria for a deployment decision, Minister Ahn stressed, “Everything must be grounded in the national interest; it must not be based on the United States.” He added, “As a responsible member of the international community, it is right that we play some role,” hinting that in the long term a situation may arise in which Korea should contribute to the Strait of Hormuz in some fashion.

As he leaves after a one-year-and-two-month term, unfinished tasks remain. Chief among them are deriving a target year for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) and integrating the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies. He said, “A lawmaker was a post that asked questions, while a minister was a post of enduring and holding back,” and stated that he would return to the National Assembly to play a role in identifying the crux of defense issues. We met Minister Ahn at the Ministry of National Defense on the 7th.

President Lee Jae Myung chats with Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek ahead of a ceremony to present letters of appointment to new cabinet members and the Commissioner of the National Tax Service at the Yongsan presidential office on July 28 last year. Presidential Office Photo Pool

-You served as the first Minister of National Defense of the Lee Jae Myung administration and the first civilian minister in 64 years.

“When I think of the term ‘civilian minister,’ mixed feelings arise. On the strength of the historic symbolism of being the first civilian minister in 64 years and of public expectations, I served with a sense of responsibility and mission. It has been a breathless one year and two months. There were both exhilarating and difficult moments. I have approached the post of defense minister with the twin pillars of public expectation and historic mission.”

-What do you count as the achievements of your tenure?

“Since a civilian minister took office, the proportion of civilians within the Ministry of National Defense has increased. At each rankadvisers, assistant ministers, directors-general and directorsthe share of those from civilian backgrounds grew. I also think the work of bringing closure to the December 3 coup would have been difficult to carry out had the minister not been a civilian.”

-You also accelerated internal restructuring of the military.

“I would cite as major reform achievements the reorganization of the Defense Intelligence Command, the integration of the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies, and the dismantling of the Defense Counterintelligence Command. In particular, we completely abolished the functions of the counterintelligence command that had long been used as tools of powercompiling character assessments on individuals or drafting trend reports. I see great significance in dispersing the counterintelligence command’s functions across three bodiesthe Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters, the Defense Security Support Group, and the Security Investigation Division within the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquartersso they can provide mutual checks and balances.”

“When we proceeded with disciplinary procedures against soldiers involved in the December 3 coup, there was human anguish. It was also not easy to strike a balance between hardline public opinion calling for a swift and forceful end to the coup and the principle that everything must proceed strictly according to law and procedure without a trace of flaw. I also had hoped to conclude, at this fall’s ROK-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), the task of deriving a target year for OPCON transfer, which would form the foundation of self-reliant national defense, but I regret not completing it.”

-A new nominee from the military has been named. Some suggest this reflects acceptance of the practical limits to pushing further with civilianization of the military.

“I do feel regret that the civilian-minister system did not continue. However, as the current nominee enjoys deep trust within the military, I believe he will carry forward the reform spirit and the thread of continuity and perform his duties admirably.”

“Deployments must be based on the national interest, not the U.S.On Hormuz, a role in the international community is necessary”

-Debate over a troop dispatch to the Strait of Hormuz is intense.

“For the free passage in the Strait of Hormuz and the stability of the international order, I believe we should make a practical contribution as a responsible state within the bounds of complying with international law. We should play a certain role and make a certain contribution, within a scope that does not significantly impair public safety or our military readiness posture.”

-Isn’t there a concern within the government that, considering ROK-U.S. relations, Korea should contribute more quickly?

“I believe everything must be grounded in our national interest; it must not be based on the United States. Whatever the U.S. side requests, we should begin by considering what aligns with our national interest. That said, given how a prolonged situation in the Strait of Hormuz would significantly impact people’s lives and the economy, our approach must be based on the national interest.”

“It is certainly true that, as a responsible member of the international community, we must play some role. Considering conditions in Hormuz, whether noncombat or using various noncombat assets, I think performing the necessary role would be a responsible stance toward the international community. However, personally, even if a situation arises in which the ROK military should play a role in and around the Strait of Hormuz, I believe stabilization of the local situationincluding developments in the Middle Eastmust be a key consideration.”

-If deployment must be reviewed, at what level should Korea contribute?

“The most important thing is that our contribution be made without affecting our military readiness posture.”

-Public opposition to deployment is strong. Do you think you can secure parliamentary consent?

“The government has not yet set a policy. But if necessary, because Korea must live as a responsible member of the international community, we must seek the public’s understanding and persuade them. In all of this, there must be public consent, and the process must proceed under the National Assembly Act.”

“There was nothing to worry about in ROK-U.S. relations…I am confident there will be positive results at this year’s SCM”

Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek is interviewed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 7th. Jung Hyo-jin, reporter

-Is OPCON transfer possible within the Lee Jae Myung administration’s term?

“It is past the time to debate such stages. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also called the government’s push for OPCON transfer ‘encouraging’ at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May. The ROK military has made grueling efforts for 20 years to transfer OPCON. Ordinarily, verification should have been completed by the year after the 2022 FOC (Full Operational Capability) assessment, but because the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration kept postponing it, we have ended up conducting verification again after four years. This year, alongside FOC verification, is the most important year for setting a target year for OPCON transfer. With the groundwork laid for OPCON transfer, I am confident there will be good results at the SCM this fall.

-Some raise concerns that OPCON transfer is premature.

“There are those who worry that retrieving OPCON will make ROK-U.S. relations difficult. However, even after OPCON is retrieved, a new future Combined Forces Command will be formed for the ROK and U.S. to operate together. Under it, six component commands will be organized and operated jointly by the ROK military and U.S. forces. In effect, the most dense and complete command-and-control system will be established.”

-At the SCM in the second half of the year, can a target year for OPCON transfer be derived?

“I believe so. While serving as defense minister, I very much wanted to tie up that loose end, but now I hope my successor will perform that role well. We must achieve self-reliant national defense so that we can protect our own lives.”

-During your tenure, concerns surrounding ROK-U.S. relations were raised multiple times.

“There was nothing to worry about in ROK-U.S. relations. I communicated frequently with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and also had substantive, in-depth conversations with Xavier Brunson, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea. We communicated regardless of time and place. In addition, I have continued contacts with Elbridge Colby, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, Michelle Steel, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, and delegations from the U.S. Senate and House. Considering this communication, I assess there were no problems in ROK-U.S. relations.”

Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth pose for a commemorative photo at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, during the 57th ROK-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on November 4 last year. Courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense

-There has been significant controversy in the process of pushing to integrate the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies.

“The discussion on integrating the three servie academies did not suddenly pop up. Under successive administrations there has been a buildup of debate on integrating the three academies. If you look back, the need for integration was raised under the administrations of Rhee Syng-man, Park Chung-hee, Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Kim Young-sam, and Lee Myung-bak. Throughout constitutional history, it has consistently emerged as necessary across the progressive-conservative divide.”

-Why is integrating the academies important?

“In future warfare, the Army, Navy, and Air Force will conduct multi-domain operations without organizational silos. Considering that the silos between services are disappearing, we need to strengthen jointness. And to enhance educational efficiency, integrating the three service academies must be pursued.”

-The public hearing held in August ended in disarray.

“Whether additional public debate is needed is for my successor to judge. However, I believe we went through a sufficient process of public discussion, including policy briefings by each of the Army, Navy, and Air Force held in late July and early August, as well as various seminars and public hearings large and small.”

-Will you personally address the military service allegations that have been raised?

“Once I leave the ministerial post, I think I should resolve that issue first. I will follow legal procedures and provide clarification on that basis.”

-Do you have any requests you would like to convey to the next nominee for Minister of National Defense?

“I believe the role of a civilian minister is to bring the coup to an end and rebuild the people’s military. I hope the next minister will become one who advances major tasksincluding recovery of OPCON and defense reformand completes self-reliant national defense. I hope the next minister will faithfully explain to and persuade the public on weighty pending issues like recovering OPCON and integrating the three service academies, and boldly achieve reform.”

-After completing your term, you will return to the National Assembly.

“A lawmaker was a seat for asking questions, while a minister was a seat for enduring and holding back. Now I will look back on the things I was unable to do and, as a senior member of the party, at the right moments I will aim to pinpoint the essence of defense issues.”