Head of Korea Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association resigns amid purge of Kim Yong-hyun allies

Jung Jae-kwan, chairman of the Korea Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association and a retired army brigadier general, has submitted his resignation, stepping down before the end of his term. Jung was a classmate of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun — widely seen as a central figure in the illegal emergency martial law declaration of Dec. 3 — both having graduated in the 38th class of the Korea Military Academy.

An association official confirmed Monday that Jung had submitted his resignation to the Ministry of National Defense that day. Rumors that he would resign had circulated ahead of the previous weekend.

Jung took office as the association's 16th chairman on Jan. 2, 2023, for a three-year term. His tenure had been extended by one year from early this year under the association's bylaws, which allow a single renewal, meaning he could have remained in the post until February 2027 absent any other developments.

Jung served as a defense policy adviser on Yoon Suk Yeol's presidential campaign alongside Kim Yong-hyun, in a group informally known as the "Korea Military Academy Class 38 Group of Eight." His appointment as chairman had drawn criticism from the outset, with critics calling it a parachute appointment made on the strength of those personal ties.

Calls for his resignation had grown following the Dec. 3 martial law declaration and the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration, yet Jung had held on to his position until now.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense recently dismissed Lee Geon-wan, a retired air force lieutenant general who had been serving as director of the Agency for Defense Development, on charges of violating the Act on the Management of Public Institutions and other relevant regulations.

Amid a broader effort to remove military-background agency heads classified as part of the Kim Yong-hyun network, Jung's resignation is widely expected to be accepted.