Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup made congratulatory remarks for the inauguration of the Seoul Defense Forum

Slumping recruiting poses a serious challenge to national security

Efforts to foster a defense culture commensurate with soldiers of the MZ generation

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup reiterated that dedicated efforts must be made to build robust national defense, and a strong science and technology-based military.

In his congratulatory remarks for the inauguration of the Seoul Defense Forum and seminar held in the auditorium of the Members’ Office Building of the National Assembly, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on July 12, Minister Lee said, “Our military has formulated various policies to build a strong science and technology-based military based on defense innovation and foster a defense culture commensurate with the expectations of young soldiers in the MZ generation.”

Minister Lee, mentioning World Population Day on the previous day, said, “The serious population crisis in Korea is causing a recruitment slump and posing a grave challenge to national security, and besides the demographic cliff, the characteristics of soldiers in the MZ generation who value fairness and rationality is another factor of change facing the defense sector.”

He added, “The MZ generation’s values are consistent with the national administration vision of Yoon Suk Yeol government, which takes fairness and common sense as its governing principles, which is driving positive changes in our society. Thus, today’s seminar bears significance.” He went on to say, “We need the support and patronage of specialists in the National Assembly, academia and the private sector to make sure that the efforts of the military produce more substantial achievements, and we will listen to various opinions to further develop defense policy.”

The event was prepared to celebrate the inauguration of the Seoul Defense Forum (SDF), which aims to explore policy agendas to efficiently cope with changes in the security environment surrounding the Korean Peninsula and to contribute to boosting national security capabilities by presenting directions for future defense policies.

The event was organized by the Office of Shin Won-sik, a member of the National Assembly and the SDF, and attended by experts in various sectors including Minister Lee, National Assembly Members Yun Jae-ok and Han Ki-ho, SDF Chairman Choi Byeong-hyeok, Defense Media Agency Director Chae Il, and Korea Research Institute for Strategy Assistant Director Chung Chun-il.

National Assembly Member Shin said in his written opening remarks, “In the 21st century, security is attained through a comprehensive collection of capabilities in all sectors of a country, and Ukraine is a good example as a country that, despite a clear gap in military strength, has defended its sovereignty and territory with solid solidarity between the state and people.”

He added, “Amid rapidly changing circumstances surrounding the Korean Peninsula and various structural changes in our society, the security of South Korea depends on how people, the government and the military gain wisdom and competence in their respective sectors. The National Assembly, including myself, will make the utmost legislative and policy efforts by communicating with people and the military.”

The inauguration event was followed by a seminar on the theme of “building robust national defense.” Kim Yeong-gon, a senior researcher of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, gave a presentation on national defense based on fairness and common sense for the MZ generation, and Yang Wook, a researcher of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, gave a presentation on building military strength in the era of the demographic cliff and the development of the defense industry.

The discussion participants included Kim Min-seok, Vice Chairman of Korea Aerospace Industries Association, Shin Da-wit, a policy adviser to the Minister of National Defense, Song Seung-jong, a professor at Daejeon University, Song Myung-soon, a former officer of the Republic of Korea Army, and Kim Joo-won, President of Yukdaejeon, meaning Army news.

By Hyun-woo, Seo <lgiant61@dema.mi.kr>

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