Ahn Gyu-baek Becomes First Civilian Defense Minister in 64 Years, Vows to Rebuild a People's Military

"Severing Ties with a Past Consumed as a Tool for Emergency Martial Law"

On July 25, Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek stated, "Starting today, our Ministry of National Defense and the military will sever ties with the past, which was consumed as a tool for emergency martial law, and will be reborn as a military dedicated solely to protecting the nation and its people. We will rebuild a people's military with the powerful strength to defend the nation and its citizens under any circumstances."

At the inauguration ceremony for the 51st Minister of National Defense held at the ministry headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, that afternoon, Minister Ahn declared, "(Our Ministry of National Defense and the military) will break away from past inertia and practices, adhere to the principle of civilian control, and, overcoming past wounds, will restore the honor of the uniform."

Ahn Gyubaek, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, is delivering an opening statement at the confirmation hearing held by the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on the 15th. 2025.7.15 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Minister Ahn is the first civilian to become Minister of National Defense in 64 years since Hyun Seok-ho, who served during the Second Republic. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Kim Myung-soo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Army, Navy, and Air Force Chiefs of Staff, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Xavier Brunson, Commander of United States Forces Korea.

Minister Ahn expressed his gratitude, saying, "Even at this very moment, I deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work of all service members and defense families who are fulfilling their duties for national security and territorial defense on land, at sea, in the air, and even overseas. I also thank Commander Xavier Brunson of the Combined Forces Command and all USFK personnel for their efforts in defending the Republic of Korea under the strong ROK-US alliance."

He continued, "Today, our military is facing unprecedented and serious challenges both domestically and internationally. These challenges include the demographic cliff, the advancement of North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities, increased volatility in the international situation, wars in various parts of the world, and the rapid development of advanced military power. Each of these challenges demands a national response and cannot be taken lightly."

Minister Ahn further stated, "However, we wasted time responding to complex security crises due to the illegal 12·3 emergency martial law incident. In fact, the 12·3 emergency martial law undermined the very reason for our military's existence, eroded public trust, and damaged the honor of the uniform. We will strive to restore the wounded pride of our military, establish a firm military readiness posture based on a strong ROK-US combined defense system, and develop an advanced, powerful military trusted by the people through trust, communication, and the completion of strong capabilities."

As future tasks, Minister Ahn presented ▲ rebuilding the people's military ▲ substantial defense reform and the establishment of advanced defense capabilities using artificial intelligence (AI) ▲ strengthening the ROK-US alliance and building a global defense cooperation network ▲ establishing South Korea as a powerhouse in the defense industry ▲ supporting the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula. He stated, "The military must be operated in accordance with the Constitution and laws reflecting the will of the people, strictly maintain political neutrality, and focus solely on its primary mission of protecting the people from external enemies and threats." He added, "To this end, we will improve the treatment and welfare of service members so that they can be proud of their uniforms and focus confidently on their core duties."

Minister Ahn also said, "Since national defense is a matter of the nation's survival, we will fundamentally reform the military's structure and constitution through practical reforms that prioritize direction over speed." He continued, "We will boldly integrate advanced scientific technologies, including AI, throughout national defense, establish efficient allocation and management of defense resources, and foster our military into an advanced, powerful force capable of responding to complex security threats."

Additionally, Minister Ahn stated, "We will continue to expand cooperation so that the ROK-US alliance develops as a 'global comprehensive strategic alliance' in a direction that serves our national interests." He added, "We will deepen ROK-US-Japan security cooperation and strengthen global ties to broaden the horizon of defense cooperation."

He further emphasized, "We will create a defense industry ecosystem in which the public, private sector, and military coexist, so that the defense industry becomes a new growth engine for Korea and contributes to the national economy and people's livelihoods." He added, "We will significantly increase investment in defense research and development and further improve and develop a flexible and agile defense acquisition and R&D system."

Regarding inter-Korean relations, Minister Ahn particularly stated, "While maintaining deterrence through strong defense capabilities, we will keep the door open for dialogue aimed at easing military tensions and building trust." He declared, "We will create peace through strength and build sustainable peace through sincere dialogue and communication."