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Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek is lost in thought while attending a plenary meeting of the National Defense Committee held at the National Assembly on the 31st. / Reporter Lee Byung-hwa

The military and observers alike are buzzing as Kang Shin-chul, South Korea's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, has been nominated as the new Minister of National Defense. As the era of a civilian defense minister—the first in 64 years—comes to an end after about a year, outgoing Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek shared his feelings, stating, "I have truly mixed feelings." Meanwhile, the joint alumni associations of the three service academies (Army, Navy, and Air Force), which have opposed the establishment of an integrated Armed Forces Academy, welcomed the nomination of a candidate with a military background while closely watching the future direction of defense reform.

Attending the National Assembly Defense Committee on the 31st, Minister Ahn expressed his sentiments ahead of leaving office, saying, "As the first civilian minister and Minister of National Defense of the Sovereign People's Government, there have been both achievements and shortcomings. I have truly mixed feelings. I can hardly suppress my emotions."

The Ministry of National Defense is refraining from offering an official assessment regarding candidate Kang's nomination. During a regular briefing that day, Defense Ministry Spokesperson Jeong Bit-na drew a line regarding the ministerial replacement, remarking, "It is inappropriate for the Ministry of National Defense to issue a separate position on an appointment made by the appointing authority."

Minister Ahn plans to carry out his scheduled itinerary for the time being, including visits to frontline military units. The Ministry of National Defense plans to form a task force (TF) for the confirmation hearing to assist candidate Kang and will announce the office location and the candidate's first day of work at a later date.

In addition, the joint alumni associations of the Korea Military Academy, Korea Naval Academy, and Korea Air Force Academy, which have opposed the establishment of the Armed Forces Academy, initially welcomed the nomination of candidate Kang.

An official from the joint alumni association of the three service academies stated, "It is fortunate that someone who served in the military throughout his entire life is becoming the head of defense. We look forward to steps being taken to grasp the current morale of the military and restore trust."

                                                                                                           Lee Han-sol