The Ministry of National Defense said on the 23rd it will launch a barracks reading initiative called the “One Gun, One Book (a gun in one hand, a book in the other)” project, linked to the nationwide “2026 Reading Korea Campaign.”
The phrase combines “gun,” symbolizing the military’s core mission, with “book,” representing knowledge, culture and preparation for the future. The ministry said the goal is to help about 205,000 young people who enlist each year use their service not only to fulfill national defense duties but also to grow through reading.
Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back said service members will be supported so they can “explore their dreams and career paths through intense and steady reading” and turn their time in uniform into “a period of intellectual growth to plan for the future,” rather than a pause in life.
Starting in the second half of this year, the ministry will encourage new recruits to bring one book when they enter basic training — either a personal “life book” or a “tomorrow book” they want to read — to help spark motivation. It also plans to offer reading coaching by professional instructors and provide rewards, including one day of leave, for writing book reports to create a sense of achievement.
The ministry has also been running a tailored e-book support program since February, providing 128,000 won for book purchases over a service member’s full term of service.
Ahn also plans to lead reading lectures for commanders and add reading-coaching instruction to command and management courses for midlevel and senior officers, the ministry said, aiming to have commanders drive a reading culture in units.
“Because even what is not in books can come through people in a deeply felt way, reading is the best way to awaken a commander’s spirit and gain major insight,” Ahn said. He added that classics “wake up a sleeping brain,” while bestsellers can leave a deep impression, and said the two should be read in balance for their meaning to be fully absorbed.
The phrase combines “gun,” symbolizing the military’s core mission, with “book,” representing knowledge, culture and preparation for the future. The ministry said the goal is to help about 205,000 young people who enlist each year use their service not only to fulfill national defense duties but also to grow through reading.
Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back said service members will be supported so they can “explore their dreams and career paths through intense and steady reading” and turn their time in uniform into “a period of intellectual growth to plan for the future,” rather than a pause in life.
Starting in the second half of this year, the ministry will encourage new recruits to bring one book when they enter basic training — either a personal “life book” or a “tomorrow book” they want to read — to help spark motivation. It also plans to offer reading coaching by professional instructors and provide rewards, including one day of leave, for writing book reports to create a sense of achievement.
The ministry has also been running a tailored e-book support program since February, providing 128,000 won for book purchases over a service member’s full term of service.
Ahn also plans to lead reading lectures for commanders and add reading-coaching instruction to command and management courses for midlevel and senior officers, the ministry said, aiming to have commanders drive a reading culture in units.
“Because even what is not in books can come through people in a deeply felt way, reading is the best way to awaken a commander’s spirit and gain major insight,” Ahn said. He added that classics “wake up a sleeping brain,” while bestsellers can leave a deep impression, and said the two should be read in balance for their meaning to be fully absorbed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.