Kim Byung-joo of the Opposition: "Should Be Conducted After the Early Presidential Election"
Acting Minister: "Will Keep in Mind Calls for Caution on New Promotions"
Acting Minister of National Defense Kim Seon-ho said on the 14th that "if everything proceeds normally, it can be done in April or May" regarding the first half general officer personnel appointments.
During the National Assembly's government questioning session that day, Acting Minister Kim responded to a related inquiry from Kim Byung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "Currently, we are gathering opinions from subordinate generals regarding the personnel matters."
On the same day, Representative Kim argued regarding the first half general officer personnel appointments, "It should not be done now. The military is currently involved in martial law, and public trust has hit rock bottom," adding, "It should be done after the June 3 presidential election so that the next president can handle it."
In response, Acting Minister Kim said, "If the timing is missed, there will be serious problems in personnel management. There are generals who must retire in April, and the issue of assigning their positions upon retirement is combined," adding, "How can military personnel matters be aligned with political schedules?"
However, Acting Minister Kim also stated, "I understand there is an opinion that we should be cautious about promoting new generals, and that is why we are considering it," adding, "We will keep this in mind and make an appropriate judgment."
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