The People Power Party on August 4 called for the resignation of Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek. They stated that he should be held accountable for a series of incidents, including military personnel conducting guard duties without live ammunition and a commotion caused by mistaking a U.S. military drone for an unidentified flying object.
Park Chung-kwon, the party's chief spokesperson, criticized the situation in a statement, saying, "The Republic of Korea's military, once boasting the fifth-largest military power in the world, is deteriorating into a 'Tang Dynasty Army' under the incompetence of a defense minister with a background in defense."
He referenced the investigation results from the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding the incident on July 30, where a U.S. military drone was misidentified as an unidentified flying object, stating, "The military reporting system did not function at all." He added, "With a minister lacking professionalism and morality holding only show meetings, the on-site command and reporting system is fundamentally shaken. The causes of the collapse of the military's surveillance, reporting, command, and control systems must be thoroughly re-examined. Do not try to blind the public with a 'tail-cutting' measure like the exclusion of the 1st Corps commander."
Park urged Minister Ahn to resign, stating that he has led the national security network to a complete breakdown. He remarked, "A minister who cannot even clarify allegations of desertion from his time as a defense soldier cannot establish strict military discipline."
Members of the National Defense Committee from the People Power Party also held a press conference the previous day, demanding a thorough investigation into the military's handling of the situation and the implementation of responsible measures that the public can accept.
Lim Jong-deuk, the opposition party's secretary of the National Defense Committee, noted, "While the two incidents may seem separate, they share the same essence of a shaken alert posture and a collapsed reporting system." He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation of the entire command structure and called for a special inspection of the military's alert posture and measures to prevent recurrence.
He further warned, "There is no value that takes precedence over the lives of the people and national security. There can be no compromise on security, and there must be no gaps in vigilance."
Park Chung-kwon, the party's chief spokesperson, criticized the situation in a statement, saying, "The Republic of Korea's military, once boasting the fifth-largest military power in the world, is deteriorating into a 'Tang Dynasty Army' under the incompetence of a defense minister with a background in defense."
He referenced the investigation results from the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding the incident on July 30, where a U.S. military drone was misidentified as an unidentified flying object, stating, "The military reporting system did not function at all." He added, "With a minister lacking professionalism and morality holding only show meetings, the on-site command and reporting system is fundamentally shaken. The causes of the collapse of the military's surveillance, reporting, command, and control systems must be thoroughly re-examined. Do not try to blind the public with a 'tail-cutting' measure like the exclusion of the 1st Corps commander."
Park urged Minister Ahn to resign, stating that he has led the national security network to a complete breakdown. He remarked, "A minister who cannot even clarify allegations of desertion from his time as a defense soldier cannot establish strict military discipline."
Members of the National Defense Committee from the People Power Party also held a press conference the previous day, demanding a thorough investigation into the military's handling of the situation and the implementation of responsible measures that the public can accept.
Lim Jong-deuk, the opposition party's secretary of the National Defense Committee, noted, "While the two incidents may seem separate, they share the same essence of a shaken alert posture and a collapsed reporting system." He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation of the entire command structure and called for a special inspection of the military's alert posture and measures to prevent recurrence.
He further warned, "There is no value that takes precedence over the lives of the people and national security. There can be no compromise on security, and there must be no gaps in vigilance."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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