Democratic Party acting leader and floor leader Han Byung-do speaks during a policy meeting at the National Assembly on Thursday, 6 August 2026. Photo by Asia Today
Aug. 6 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's ruling Democratic Party said Thursday that establishing a unified armed forces academy was a necessary national reform and pledged stronger safeguards against abuses of expanded police investigative authority.
Han Byung-do, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, told a policy meeting at the National Assembly that the establishment of a joint military academy reflected an "irreversible trend of the times."
"The traditional boundaries between military branches are disappearing because of the characteristics of modern warfare, including artificial intelligence, drones and cyberwarfare," Han said. "We also cannot ignore the practical problem of declining military manpower."
Han referred to President Lee Jae Myung's remarks during a Defense Ministry policy briefing Wednesday and criticized what he described as the vested-interest system centered on the Korea Military Academy.
