Page 160 - 2020 Defence White Paper

Section

2 Upholding Civilian Control of
the Military and Open Defense

Operation

The MND has established the principle of civilian control where the representatives
elected by the people manage and operate the military in a democratic way and is
promoting the civilian control of the military in national defense and guaranteeing political
neutrality to allow the ROK Armed Forces to concentrate on their inherent missions.
Moreover, the MND is also striving to gain public trust by carrying out active defense
policy PR activities, engaging people to participate in the policymaking processes, and
developing anti-corruption and integrity measures together with the civilian sector,
thereby realizing an open national defense operation.

1. Promoting Civilian Control of the Military 3)

Civilian Control of The MND is pursuing civilian control of national defense
the Military to establish the principle of civilian control over national
defense policies and guarantee the conditions for the ROK
Armed Forces to devote themselves to their inherent missions.
Civilian control of the military is significant in that it is one of the basic principles of a

democratic nation under the Constitution and other laws, and national defense needs to
be subject to democratic control within the bigger framework of government policies.
Since the inauguration of the Moon administration in 2017, the administration has
emphasized the need to re-establish the roles of the MND and each military service,
and rebuild the ROK Armed Forces as the "Advanced Armed Forces of a Democratic
3) Nation Trusted by the People" based on the principle of civilian control and political
According to this
principle, key national neutrality.
defense policies need Accordingly, the MND, while guaranteeing the political neutrality of the ROK
to be determined by the
president elected through Armed Forces by establishing the principle of civilian control to ensure, is promoting
a popular election; the
Minister of National the execution of national defense tasks that meet the public’s standards, and is
Defense, who is a member
of the administrative promoting the national defense civilian control promotion plan under the goal of
cabinet; and civilian expert
groups. In addition, military providing the conditions for the Armed Forces to focus on their inherent missions.
power should be used
in accordance with the From 2017 to 2020, the MND replaced three deputy minister-level positions
political and diplomatic
decisions of the state. previously held by reserves with regular public officials and converted six director-

158 2020 Defense White Paper