Defense minister renews vow to reform the military

(ATTN: UPDATES with defense minister's remarks, photo in the first three paras; CHANGES headline)
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin renewed Wednesday his commitment to push ahead with military reform measures, warning the military that it won't become stronger without change.
"Unless the military changes itself, we can't build a stronger military," Kim said at a public debate on plans to reform the military's top command structure.
"A reform is typically beset with many difficulties and burdens. But we can't give up because reforming the military is not a matter of choice but a must," Kim said at the debate designed to avoid backlash from some retired generals.


The ministry unveiled a series of military reforms in March in response to North Korea's two deadly attacks last year. Among other things, the reform would allow the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to wield more power to enhance the interoperability among the three armed services.
Former Navy and Air Force generals, however, bemoaned the move, claiming that it would only increase the dominance of the Army as Army generals have traditionally assumed the role of JCS chairman.
About 300 people, including 70 retired general-grade officers, attended the three-hour debate, ministry officials said.
One retired general told Yonhap News Agency that, "The Defense Ministry must withdraw the reform measures that prefer the Army and push for a balanced reform."
South Korea's military has been centered on ground troops and the JCS has assigned its chairman from the Army, with the one exception of former Air Force general Lee Yang-ho, who assumed the role between 1993 and 1994.
The military has been under growing calls to improve interoperability among the Army, Navy and Air Force to better respond to North Korean provocations. Last year, North Korea sank a South Korean warship and bombarded a South Korean border island, killing 50 people, including two civilians.