Defense Ministry puts preliminary research contract on hold ahead of revised military academy plan

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense has put on hold a preliminary research contract it had been pursuing for the construction of a unified military academy, as a revised master plan has yet to be finalized. It also remains undecided whether to proceed with the July proposal to consolidate the academies at Daejeon's Jaundae base under a four-year program, or to keep the Army, Navy and Air Force academies as separate institutions.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na, speaking at a regular briefing Thursday, was asked about the status of a re-announcement of the preliminary research contract. "The minister has publicly stated, since taking office, that there are areas that need to be supplemented," Jeong said. She then said that once those areas are addressed, the research contract work would naturally proceed as needed, and that the existing contract should be understood as currently "on hold to some extent."

Asked whether the ministry was reviewing a revised plan on the premise of keeping the individual service academies, Jeong said, "We have not used the word 'retention.'"

The Defense Ministry, when it announced its master plan in July, said it would launch the unified Korea Armed Forces Academy at a single location at Jaundae in Daejeon.

Jeong said she recalled that the ministry had announced a "2+2" structure for branch-specific professional education. "The goal of establishing the Korea Armed Forces Academy remains unchanged," she said, adding that because the plan does not move toward a unified military command, "the training institutions for each of the Army, Navy and Air Force cannot be eliminated." She went on to say the ministry was gathering opinions on how best to implement the networked model.

Asked whether the original Jaundae four-year consolidation plan could remain intact, Jeong said, "We are reviewing multiple options. That is about all I can say at this point."

Some observers raised the question of whether the current review amounted to a compromise driven by public opposition. Jeong rebuffed the characterization, saying the minister's remarks about areas needing supplementation were "part of a process to increase policy acceptance and raise the plan's overall quality."

Critics also raised concerns that building a new unified academy while keeping the existing service academies would actually increase costs.

On this, Jeong said some reports had cited figures of 3 trillion won and 2.7 trillion won, but that "the actual budget will be determined through the preliminary research." She added that the revised plan was being developed with the aim of minimizing and reducing costs, and that the issue was being reviewed as part of that process.

The Defense Ministry plans to make the revised plan public once its broad outlines take shape. It also intends to continue gathering public input through the process of enacting the establishment law, issuing implementing regulations and setting academic rules, up until the academy is actually founded and its first class selected.