Yoon highlights a large-scale military reform

President Yoon Suk Yeol highlighted the need for a large-scale overhaul of military hardware and software to the point of founding the military.

“After my first year as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, I have realized the need for reform and change,” President Yoon said at the inaugural meeting of the Defense Innovation Committee on Thursday. Yoon emphasized the imperative of meticulously reinforcing defense capabilities against the North by securing reconnaissance assets and analysis capabilities covering all areas of North Korea, high-powered ultra-precision missile capabilities that can accurately hit targets, and an integrated, multi-layered air defense capabilities. “We must possess overwhelming power to preemptively suppress North Korea’s provocations,” President Yoon reiterated.

“We benchmarked the U.S. Defense Innovation Advisory Councill, which former Google CEO Eric Schmidt chaired,” Yoon commented on the background leading up to the establishment of the Defense Innovation Committee, adding that the Committee is not just an advisory council but that it is an innovation council, chaired by the president himself, and former Defense Minister Kim Gwan-jin as a senior advisor.

The Defense Innovation Committee is a presidential committee established in December 2022 to discuss plans to promote innovation in the defense sector to foster high-tech, advanced military. “We plan to establish a strategic command to operate the three branches of the military better, facilitating coordination between different branches of the military through sweeping military reforms,” Yoon said.


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com