President Lee Jae Myung Orders Merger of Military Academies

President Lee Jae Myung ordered the Ministry of National Defense on August 5, 2026, to swiftly merge the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies into a single National Armed Forces Academy. During a briefing at the Blue House, Lee argued that the Korea Military Academy was the center of three historical coups and the December 3, 2024, insurrection attempt. He stated that integrating the institutions at Jaundae in Daejeon is necessary to break the "cartel" of alumni who have historically dominated senior military leadership and to eliminate the conditions that allow military intervention in politics.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back pledged to execute the merger, which the government officially frames as an effort to enhance joint operations and high-technology warfare. Simultaneously, Lee directed the ministry to accelerate the return of U.S. military base sites, including the Yongsan Garrison and Camp Casey, and to establish a target year for the restoration of wartime operational control during the October 2026 ROK-US Security Consultative Meeting.

The proposal faced immediate backlash from the People Power Party and the Korea Military Academy Alumni Association. Critics characterized the move as punitive and retaliatory, arguing that the reform is based on the president's view of history rather than strategic defense needs. Lawmaker Yu Yong-weon claimed the merger serves as punishment for the December 2024 martial law situation, while the alumni association rejected the concept of collective responsibility for past illegal acts.