1 of 2 | Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (C) speaks during a consultative meeting of party and government officials at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, 16 July 2026, discussing the establishment of an integrated military academy for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Aug. 5 (Asia Today) -- The Korea Military Academy Alumni Association strongly criticized President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday after he linked the academy to past military coups while discussing the proposed consolidation of South Korea's service academies.
"The real intention behind consolidating the service academies has now been revealed," the association said in a statement.
The government has said the proposed integration of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies is intended to strengthen joint operations, develop forces suited to future warfare and build a technologically advanced military. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has described the initiative as an effort to preserve each military branch's identity and expertise while improving education for future high-technology warfare.
The alumni association said Lee's remarks during a Defense Ministry policy briefing showed that those stated objectives were not the true basis of the plan.
