The confirmation hearing for Kang Shin-cheol, the nominee for Defense Minister, scheduled for the 16th, is expected to focus on verifying defense policy direction and security perspectives rather than personal and ethical controversies surrounding the candidate. This contrasts sharply with the heated debates surrounding other ministerial nominees, such as Kim Seung-won, who faces allegations related to COVID-19 treatment drug trials, and Yong Hye-in, who is embroiled in a controversy over holding dual roles as a lawmaker.
According to a comprehensive report by Aju Economy on the 4th, members of the National Assembly's Defense Committee generally hold a positive view of Kang's reputation and ethics within the military. No significant issues regarding his morality or personal life that could sway the confirmation hearing have been identified thus far.
As a result, the Defense Committee plans to focus on verifying Kang's positions on major defense issues, including the integration of military academies, the transfer of wartime operational control, military readiness, and the nuclear-powered submarine project, rather than personal background checks.
The committee is particularly attentive to Kang's career, noting that he has risen through key military positions regardless of the political administration. He has undergone rigorous evaluations of his ethics, personal life, and leadership capabilities through the military's verification system. Therefore, instead of personal scrutiny, the committee aims to clarify whether Kang will continue the existing defense policies of former Minister An Gyu-baek or identify areas for modification and improvement.
Consistent Service Across Administrations
One of the most notable aspects of Kang's career is his service in key military and presidential office positions across both conservative and progressive governments. Born in Seoul in 1968, Kang graduated from the Army Academy in 1990 as a second lieutenant.
From 2010 to 2011, during the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as an administrative officer at the Blue House, handling defense policy matters. Under the Park Geun-hye administration, he was promoted to brigadier general in 2016 and served as a military advisor to then-Defense Minister Han Min-koo until 2017. He subsequently held positions as the operations chief of the First Army Corps and the dean of the Army College at the Joint Military University.
After the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in administration in 2019, he was promoted to major general and served as the commander of the 11th Mechanized Infantry Division and the director of strategic planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 2021, he was appointed as the defense reform secretary at the National Security Office of the Blue House, and after being promoted to lieutenant general in December of that year, he continued to serve as the restructured security and defense strategy secretary until the change of administration.
When the Yoon Suk-yeol administration began in 2022, he served as the deputy commander of the Ground Operations Command and was appointed as the director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff in June of that year. In October 2023, he was promoted to four-star general and took office as the deputy commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command. Kang is the only general promoted to four-star rank from lieutenant general during the Yoon administration after being elevated to major general under the Moon administration.
After retiring in September of last year, following the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration, Kang was appointed as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia in January of this year. He was nominated as the successor to Minister An Gyu-baek on the 30th of last month. Throughout the transitions from the Lee Myung-bak administration to the Lee Jae-myung administration, he has held key positions in the Blue House, Joint Chiefs of Staff, ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and diplomatic fields.
Focus on Key Defense Issues in Hearing
The Defense Committee believes that sufficient background checks have already been conducted on Kang, given his extensive experience in military positions across different administrations. Kang has also expressed his expectation for a policy-focused confirmation hearing. On the 3rd, as he arrived for his first day at the preparation office set up at the Defense Convention in Yongsan, Seoul, he stated, "There are defense policies we need to pursue, and I hope this hearing will be a place to discuss and deliberate on the direction of these policies."
Regarding the integration of military academies, he acknowledged, "I understand there are various opinions and concerns, and I will ensure we can cultivate excellent talent." On the transfer of wartime operational control, he indicated, "We will pursue this in a way that strengthens the ROK-U.S. alliance."
Consequently, the Defense Committee plans to clarify Kang's specific positions on these issues during the hearing. In particular, they will closely examine his views on the reduction of GOP border troops, adjustments to the civilian control line, the removal of unnecessary military obstacles, and the delegation of rear base security tasks to civilians, all initiatives previously promoted by Minister An.
Minister An had proposed reducing the current GOP border troop level of approximately 22,000 to about 6,000 by 2040, in conjunction with the establishment of an AI-based scientific border system, and reallocating the remaining troops to the rear. The Defense Ministry is also working on plans to reduce the civilian control line from an average of 8 km south of the military demarcation line to 6 km and to gradually remove military obstacles.
Additionally, the Defense Committee has made it clear that they intend to accurately record Kang's responses during the confirmation hearing in the National Assembly's official records, establishing a standard for future policy verification. If he makes decisions that differ from his hearing responses after taking office, they will seek clear explanations and accountability.
A Defense Committee official emphasized, "A policy-focused confirmation hearing does not imply a lower level of scrutiny. We will clearly document the candidate's responses to serve as a standard for evaluating policy consistency and accountability as a minister in the future."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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