President Lee Jae-myung: "The Military Must Serve the People, Not Individuals"

President Lee Jae-myung, after finishing a commemorative photo session at the promotion and appointment report ceremony and the presentation of the Samjeonggeom sword held on the 2nd at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul, is heading to the reception room with Jin Youngseung, the Air Force Strategic Command Commander and candidate for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, among others. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On September 2, President Lee Jae-myung presented the Samjeonggeom sword banners to newly promoted generals and emphasized, "The military must be loyal to the nation, not to a particular administration; serve based on their position, not as individuals; and look to the people, not to any one person."

According to Kang Yoojung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, President Lee made these remarks during a meeting that lasted about an hour after awarding the Samjeonggeom sword banners (flag-like cords) to the newly promoted generals at the Presidential Office that day. President Lee stated, "Public trust in the military has been severely damaged by past illegal martial law," and added, "We must strive to restore it."

At the end of the meeting, President Lee also said, "Soldiers need to cultivate an understanding of democracy," and instructed Minister Ahn Kyubaek to establish a curriculum for democracy education within the military.

Additionally, Spokesperson Kang explained, "President Lee asked whether unfortunate incidents within the barracks have decreased," and "Participants responded that such incidents have significantly decreased compared to last year, and that efforts to identify risks in advance appear to have been quite effective."

President Lee then inquired about the treatment of junior officers, stating, "The military should be a good workplace for non-commissioned officers." According to Spokesperson Kang, the newly appointed generals responded, "We need to create an advanced barracks environment that meets the expectations of highly capable Millennials & Gen Z soldiers."