Kim Do-gyun, co-chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's Special Committee on National Defense and Security, said Tuesday that the Lee Jae Myung government has achieved tangible results in defense, including the dissolution of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, progress on the transfer of wartime operational control and a stronger defense industry.
Kim made the remarks in a keynote address at a committee event in Yongsan, saying "meaningful changes have taken place in defense reform and security over the past year."
He particularly highlighted the decision to dissolve the Defense Counterintelligence Command, which had long been a source of controversy. "It was not an easy decision in terms of defense reform, and it marks an important step forward," he said, adding that the dissolution process would be completed soon.
On the transfer of wartime operational control, Kim said talks between South Korea and the United States had advanced considerably. "The knot is being untied," he said, calling the transfer "a task that must be pursued to establish military sovereignty."
Kim assessed the country's defense industry performance positively, saying South Korea had "firmly established itself as a world-class defense powerhouse" over the past year and that its military capabilities had "risen to the top tier globally."
However, he also raised concerns about internal military issues. Regarding the debate over merging the service academies, Kim said it was "not desirable for policy discussions to devolve into ideological confrontation," warning that the controversy "could become an unnecessary source of conflict within the military and the veteran community."
Looking ahead, Kim identified the restoration of inter-Korean military relations and structural reform as key priorities. "Inter-Korean military relations have been in effect stalled over the past year," he said, adding that "there is a need to review the effective restoration of the Sept. 19 military agreement."
He also said the time had come to redesign the military's structure and the overall conscription system to address a declining troop pool and a changing security environment. "We must create an important turning point in defense reform," he said.
Kim noted that the committee itself could be reorganized, as the Democratic Party is set to elect a new party leader and overhaul its organizational structure at a national convention on Aug. 17.
"Even if the party leadership changes, an organizational foundation is needed to continue pursuing defense reform," he said. "The committee must play a central role in advancing policies for the national interest and peace on the Korean Peninsula."
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