Lee vows to take 'lead' in joint defense posture with US; barely mentions Pyongyang in scaled-down military parade on Armed Forces Day
President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday that South Korea will build a stronger military to ensure a self-reliant defense that proactively responds to a rapidly changing security landscape. Lee renewed his push to regain wartime operational control of South Korean troops from the United States, highlighting Seoul's "solid alliance" with Washington.
"To ensure peace and prosperity for the Republic of Korea, we must not depend on anyone else, but strengthen our own power," Lee said at a ceremony marking the 77th Armed Forces Day. South Korea "will lead a joint defense posture with the US by regaining operational control" during wartime based on the Seoul-Washington alliance, he added.
Lee’s spokesperson Kim Nam-joon told reporters later in the day that the president deliberately used the term "regain" rather than "transfer" when referring to wartime operational control. "Transfer" suggests moving authority from one place to another, while "regain" implies the return of that authority to where it originally belonged, Kim said.
Lee's remarks came after he recently denounced the "submissive mindset" of those who claim South Korea cannot achieve self-defense to counter North Korea without US troops stationed in the country. His administration has also committed in its five-year policy blueprint to reclaiming wartime operational control of South Korean armed forces from the US during Lee's term.
Citing South Korea’s defense spending — 40 percent greater than North Korea’s entire annual gross domestic product — as well as ties with like-minded nations and nuclear deterrence under the Seoul-Washington alliance, Lee said the country already possesses formidable military capabilities.
"We should move toward a strong, self-reliant defense, based on our pride and confidence in our military power," Lee said.
For a stronger self-defense capability, Lee said that South Korea will continue to invest heavily in advanced weapons systems like artificial intelligence-powered combat robots, autonomous drones and precision attack systems and other cutting-edge technologies. Lee also announced an 8.2 percent increase in the defense budget for next year, which would raise the annual outlay to 66.3 trillion won ($47.2 billion).
Key to a stronger, self-reliant defense will be support for the growth of the domestic defense industry and its ecosystem, as well as improved treatment and compensation for those serving in the military, Lee added.
The president spoke at a ceremony at the military headquarters in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province, scaled down from larger events under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which held street parades of military equipment in downtown Seoul in 2023 and 2024.
This year's parade in Gyeryong displayed some 100 pieces of military equipment across 40 types, including the surface-to-surface bunker buster Hyunmoo-5, 230 mm Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, Cheongung-II surface-to-air missile defense system, K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers and F-35A fifth-generation fighter jet. It was only the second time the Hyunmoo-5 had been displayed to the public.
According to the presidential office, the event unveiled strategic assets for future battlefields such as the "three-axis" system. The system comprises the Kill Chain, a system to carry out a preemptive strike before a ballistic missile is launched, the Korean Air and Missile Defense system to intercept launched missiles and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation aimed at a retaliatory strike after a missile launch.
Lee also presented the Samil Medal of the Order of National Security Merit to Marine Col. Park Jung-hun, who led the probe into the 2023 death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun. Park was recently acquitted of insubordination after referring the case to police despite then-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup’s order to halt the investigation. A special counsel is currently examining the case, alleging the minister’s order was influenced by interference from then-President Yoon.
Meanwhile, the liberal president, inaugurated in an early election in June following his predecessor Yoon’s failed attempt to impose martial law in December and subsequent removal from office in April, urged the military to swiftly restore public trust.
"Our military’s reputation and credibility suffered an endless decline," Lee said. "An army meant to protect the people must never again point its guns at them. ... Let us work together to become armed forces trusted by the people and proudly follow the path of honorable soldiers."
In Lee's speech on Wednesday, North Korea was barely mentioned, marking a contrast to Yoon, who in past Armed Forces Day speeches warned that North Korea would face regime-ending consequences if it attempted to use nuclear weapons. Lee's spokesperson Kim told reporters that the president instead chose to focus on the need for a self-reliant military.
consnow@heraldcorp.com
