Defense Minister Ahn vows to rebuild military as impeachment petition tops 160,000 signatures

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek pledged Thursday to honor fallen soldiers and press ahead with military rebuilding efforts on the 76th anniversary of the Korean War.

In a social media post, Ahn paid tribute to those who died defending the country against North Korea's surprise invasion. "I deeply honor the noble souls of the fallen patriots who gave their lives to protect the homeland amid the tragedy of fratricidal war triggered by North Korea's surprise southward invasion," he wrote. "I will never forget the sacrifice of veterans from around the world who rushed to defend the Republic of Korea, though they spoke different languages and came from different lands."

Ahn said South Korea had walked a steady path toward freedom, democracy, peace and prosperity from the ruins of war. "As a result, it has risen as a democratic republic admired by the world — a prosperous and advanced cultural power," he wrote. "This is a hard-won victory in our history, achieved by the people."

He said South Korea must now prepare for "the victory of the next era." The country must deter reckless provocations through overwhelming strength and readiness, he said, while transforming its armed forces into a high-tech, elite military capable of meeting the challenges of a declining population, AI and combined manned-unmanned warfare — moving beyond outdated security paradigms and Cold War dogma.

Ahn added that he would "consistently carry out, without hesitation, the mission entrusted to a civilian minister to rebuild the people's military following the insurrection, and the task of forward-looking defense reform." He said he would honor the sacrifice of fallen patriots and repay their commitment by building a stronger security posture and a more resilient South Korea.

Meanwhile, a public petition calling for Ahn's impeachment was posted on the National Assembly's online petition website on June 18. As of Thursday — eight days after it went public — the petition had gathered 167,617 signatures, surpassing the 160,000 mark.

The petitioner argued that the defense minister "bears the highest constitutional responsibility for national security and territorial defense," but said public concern over national security and troop safety had grown due to "a lack of responsible action" regarding the dismantling of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, the dispersal of its core functions, and the death of a reservist.