South Korea's Historic Move: Ahn Gyu-back Becomes Civilian Defence Minister

Seoul, Jun 23 (AP) – In a significant departure from tradition, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has appointed a five-term liberal lawmaker, Ahn Gyu-back, as the new defence minister. This move breaks the longstanding practice of choosing retired military generals for the position.

The nomination comes amidst a backdrop of legal challenges involving former defence officials. Notably, ex-Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun is among those facing high-profile criminal trials related to their involvement in the martial law enforced last year by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon, who has been indicted on rebellion charges, was removed from office after deploying troops to the National Assembly and election commission offices in a controversial attempt to suppress political opposition.

Ahn, a member of President Lee's Democratic Party, has notable experience in defence matters, having served on the National Assembly's defence committee and led an investigation into the events surrounding Yoon's martial law decree. His appointment underscores President Lee's commitment to enhancing civilian oversight of the military, a promise made during his election campaign.

Since the military coup of 1961 that installed Park Chung-hee as a dictator, all defence ministers in South Korea have come from military backgrounds, even following democratization in the late 1980s. Ahn's nomination marks a significant shift towards civilian control.

The legislative hearing for Ahn is expected to be largely procedural, given the Democratic Party's strong majority in the National Assembly. Legislative consent is only required for the appointment of the prime minister, making the confirmation of other Cabinet members straightforward for President Lee.

“As the first civilian Minister of National Defence in 64 years, Ahn will oversee the transformation of the military post-martial law,” stated Kang Hoon-sik, Lee's chief of staff, during a briefing.

President Lee also announced other key Cabinet appointments on Monday. Cho Hyun, a veteran diplomat, has been chosen as foreign minister, while Chung Dong-young returns as unification minister, a role he previously held from 2004 to 2005, to manage relations with North Korea. (AP) NSA

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