President Lee Jae Myung stands for a photo with graduates of Korea’s three military academies at their commissioning ceremony on Feb. 20, 2026. (via Blue House)
Noting that the Korea Military Academy (KMA) has been the common denominator in as many as three coups in the country’s history, President Lee Jae Myung on Aug. 5 criticized the fact that the institution has “never been held accountable,” voicing concern about the potential for additional coups linked to the academy down the line. The president went on to argue that integrating the country’s military academies — currently operating separately for each branch of the armed forces — is necessary to prevent another coup following the Dec. 3 insurrection attempt.The comments drew an outcry from the academy’s general alumni association and opposition People Power Party, which described them as “retaliatory” and “punitive.”The political uproar over the potential creation of an integrated academy for all branches of the armed forces has overshadowed ongoing discussions about reforming officer training in the country. We’ve rounded up common questions about the officer training system and military personnel management and present them in Q&A format below.
