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Defense Minister Right to Stress Military Training

Published: 02 Oct. 2025, 00:00

A U.S. Stryker armored vehicle and a Korean K200 armored vehicle cross a floating bridge during a joint river-crossing exercise in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 27. [YONHAP]

The defense and unification ministers have voiced very different positions on front line military training. On Sept. 30, Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek said, “Soldiers, by definition, must train,” adding that “training may be halted under the framework of the Sept. 19 military agreement, but unilaterally suspending it is limited.” His remarks were a rebuttal to Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, who on Sept. 25 argued that “live-fire and maneuver drills near the military demarcation line should be stopped.”

The two Koreas signed the Sept. 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement at their 2018 Pyongyang summit, pledging to halt front line training. Since then, however, North Korea has accelerated nuclear and missile development and flown drones into Seoul’s airspace. In response, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration resumed live-fire and maneuver exercises, rendering the agreement largely void.

The Lee Jae Myung administration has shifted emphasis, promoting measures to reduce tensions such as halting propaganda leaflet campaigns. When North Korea suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts in turn, the question became what the “next step” should be. The unification ministry, focused on fostering dialogue, and the defense ministry, charged with preparing for threats, naturally diverged in their perspectives.

The concern lies with Chung’s outlook. He recently appeared to suggest accepting North Korea’s nuclear program as a given, prompting controversy. At a time when Pyongyang openly strengthens its arsenal, a stance that implies coexistence with a nuclear North Korea risks undermining public confidence in security. Dialogue is necessary, but peace that sidesteps the nuclear issue is hollow.

North Korea is raising tensions not only through nuclear and missile development but also by expanding conventional forces. Kim Jong-un has spoken of possible dialogue with the United States, yet only on the condition that Washington abandon denuclearization goals. He has urged nuclear scientists to advance “self-defensive nuclear capabilities.” Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Workers’ Party, has issued seven statements this year demanding South Korea halt military training. In effect, Pyongyang insists Seoul stand down while it builds up its own arsenal.

Engagement must not come at the expense of readiness. Once compromised, security cannot be replaced. In inter-Korean dialogue, principles of reciprocity and “action for action” must be upheld, particularly in the military domain. Peace can only rest on prepared strength. U.S. diplomacy has weight because it is backed by overwhelming military power alongside economic clout.

President Lee Jae Myung underscored his intention to retake wartime operational control in remarks at the Armed Forces Day ceremony. But that must be predicated on thorough verification of the military’s ability to conduct independent operations. Overreliance on slogans and political will, without ensuring security capacity, risks greater instability.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.