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Defense chief says border area training should continue despite South Korea's peace efforts

Published: 01 Oct. 2025, 14:17

Gen. Jin Yong-sung, left, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, center, and retiring Adm. Kim Myung-soo attend a ceremony marking Jin's inauguration as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul on Sept. 30, 2025. [YONHAP]

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back opposed the idea of South Korea's unilateral suspension of military training near the tense inter-Korean border, citing the need to maintain readiness even when Seoul seeks to mend frayed ties with North Korea.

Ahn made the remark as Seoul has been pushing to resume dialogue with the North and restore a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction pact that was fully suspended under the previous administration in the face of North Korea's trash balloon campaign.

"Soldiers have to basically train," Ahn said in his first press conference with the defense press corps on Tuesday. "If both sides agree to suspend such training and North Korea ceases to do so, that could be another case, but we cannot unilaterally stop."

Ahn's remarks came just days after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said his ministry is in talks with the defense ministry on suspending live-fire drills and military field training near the inter-Korean border.

Under the agreement, artillery and naval drills, as well as regiment-level field maneuvers, were banned due to land and maritime buffer zones set up in the area. No-fly zones had also been designated near the border to prevent accidental aircraft clashes.

The defense chief still emphasized the need to leave the door open for talks with the North, mentioning the option of restoring the suspended military tension reduction pact in a phased manner, without further elaboration.

Addressing South Korea's push to retake wartime operational control (Opcon) from the United States, a policy task the Lee Jae Myung government has pledged to seek within Lee's five-year term, Ahn said both sides continue to hold discussions over the long-pending security issue.

"(South Korea) is pushing for wartime Opcon transfer in a systemic, stable and proactive manner under mutually agreed upon procedures and measures, and closely discussing the issue even at this moment," he said.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back answers questions from lawmakers during a parliamentary inquiry on foreign affairs, unification and security at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Sept. 16. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Ahn, however, dismissed speculations surrounding the possible readjustment or reduction of American troops stationed here that have emerged after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House this year.

"From what I have consistently heard from U.S. military leadership or lawmakers, never have I heard about any pullout or reduction," he said, stressing the speculation is groundless under the two countries' mutual defense treaty.

Regardless of the issue, the defense chief emphasized the need to boost defense spending to better respond to North Korea's continued weapons development, backed by Russia's suspected technology support in exchange for the North's troop deployment.

Since last year, North Korea is estimated to have sent 16,000 troops over three occasions in support of Russia in its war against Ukraine, with the latest group of military engineers who arrived in Russia expected to focus on restoration efforts, according to Ahn.

"What we need to be alert about is that North Korea appears to be receiving technology from Russia, in a considerable scope," he said, forecasting that Russia may hand over "everything excluding core technology."

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back salutes the flag during a ceremony of retiring and newly appointed Army generals in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong on Sep. 3. [NEWS1]

Against such a backdrop, Ahn said South Korea should increase its defense spending by 8 percent or more going forward to strengthen its military power, regardless of U.S. pressure on raising the country's defense spending to 5 percent of the GDP.

"It is not because the U.S. wants it, but we cannot but raise defense spending since it matters to us."

In a ceremony marking Armed Forces Day, President Lee pledged to restructure the military to "professional, smart, elite forces" and increase defense spending by 8.2 percent year-on-year to better invest in cutting-edge technologies.

Yonhap