Army, Navy, Air Force academy alumni groups urge government to follow proper procedures for integrated academy hearings

The alumni associations of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies have called on the government, ahead of upcoming policy briefings and a public hearing on the proposed integrated Korea Armed Forces Academy, to ensure the process amounts to "a genuinely substantive opinion-gathering exercise, not a formality designed to build justification," urging full compliance with the Administrative Procedures Act.

In a joint statement issued Monday, the three alumni associations said the Defense Ministry's ongoing policy briefings on the integrated academy plan "must serve as a forum for objective and fair opinion-gathering — not a vehicle for one-sided policy promotion or internal discipline."

The associations urged that the briefings fulfill their original purpose: explaining the policy's background, objectives, key content, timeline and expected outcomes to improve transparency and public understanding. They also called on the government to "listen to diverse views from stakeholders and various segments of society through Q&A sessions and open discussion, and reflect those views in the policy."

The statement directed particular attention to senior military officers and other uniformed personnel attending the briefings, urging them to "speak up candidly about anticipated problems and additional issues arising from the integrated academy plan" and warning that "staying silent or standing by, only to turn around afterward and raise objections, would not be appropriate."

The associations added: "If an officer lacks the moral and mental courage to speak his mind for the sake of the military and national security, he should ask himself whether he would truly be capable of making courageous decisions and issuing orders as a commander in combat — in battles and on battlefields where the lives of himself and his troops hang in the balance."

On the government's announcement that it plans to hold a public hearing in mid-August, the associations said the news was "welcome, if belated," but called on the government to "carry out the process and procedures exactly as stipulated by law."

The associations reiterated that "the public hearing must be conducted fairly in accordance with the procedures and standards set out in the Administrative Procedures Act."

They specifically called for compliance with legal requirements, including a public notice at least 14 days before the hearing, a fair and transparent process for selecting presenters, guaranteed Q&A exchanges among presenters, and an opportunity for audience members to submit their views.

The associations also warned that "moderators and presenters must be drawn in equal numbers from government nominees and alumni association nominees," adding that "if relevant laws are violated or workarounds are employed, we will respond through every available means as members of the public."