On the 3rd, Minister of the Ministry of National Defense nominee Kang Shin-cheol said regarding the integration of the army, navy and air force academies, "Whatever form it changes into, it will be a service academy of the Republic of Korea." On the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON), he also said it would be pursued in a direction that strengthens the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

On the morning of the 3rd, Minister nominee Kang Shin-cheol for the Ministry of National Defense speaks to reporters as he arrives for his first day at the personnel hearing preparation office at the Defense Convention in Yongsan-gu, Seoul./Courtesy of News1

Kang, an alumnus of the 46th class of the Korea Military Academy, stated accordingly as he arrived for his first day at the Seoul Yongsan Defense Convention Center, where the personnel hearing preparation team office was set up, on Tuesday morning, saying, "Whatever the service academies looked like in the past, wherever they were, whatever they were called, they were our Republic of Korea's service academies." He added, "I understand there are diverse opinions and concerns, and we will cultivate outstanding talent."

Kang also stated his position on the OPCON transition. He said, "We will pursue the OPCON transition in a direction that strengthens the South Korea-U.S. alliance," adding, "If there were no South Korea-U.S. alliance, the concept of OPCON transition would not exist."

As for his thoughts on being nominated as Minister of the Ministry of National Defense nominee, Kang said, "I feel a weight that truly cannot be put into words," adding, "All the more so because I know well how weighty the position of Minister of the Ministry of National Defense is. But I will fulfill the mission given to me."

Kang, who served as deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command during the Dec. 3 emergency martial law, was asked whether he was involved in the Dec. 3 martial law and said, "I understand that the answer has already been clearly provided by the presidential chief of staff." Earlier, Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, noted, "According to the Constitution Respect TF and the Ministry of National Defense audit results, there was no involvement."

To the question, "What would you do if the commander in chief's defense philosophy conflicts with your own?" Kang said, "There are things that must not change in order to change, and there are things that must change in order not to change," adding, "I will distinguish those two well and move forward in a way that can truly change, in a form that can genuinely change."

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