Minister Jeong Kyeong-du: "We Must Prepare for Comprehensive Security"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]] "I am worried that the military might gain a negative image due to political conflicts in the political arena."

Jung Kyung-doo, Minister of National Defense, who is about to retire after serving for over two years, left a bittersweet impression. In an interview with Asia Economy before his retirement, Minister Jung took a firm stance, seemingly conscious of the recent controversy surrounding the leave allegations involving Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's son. He emphasized, "I have never given any inappropriate orders regarding the allegations about Minister Choo's son," adding, "I have always lived with the belief that everything must be commanded and managed fairly and correctly, and I have worked hard."

Minister Jung entered the Air Force Academy in 1978 as part of the 30th class and served in the military for 40 years and 8 months, including his tenure as Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Including his term as minister, which began in September 2018, he dedicated nearly 43 years to the military.

On the 1st, during the National Assembly's National Defense Committee meeting, Minister Jung struggled under the opposition party's attacks related to the allegations about Minister Choo's son. He stated, "I understand that the sick leave and vacation were processed according to procedures. I confirmed that the officer's interview log contains records," but also admitted, "As pointed out, some administrative processes were not handled accurately."

He also expressed his affection for the defense industry. Minister Jung recalled, "The domestically produced supersonic advanced trainer T-50 has been a beloved model since I was the project manager for the Air Force T-50 development project," and added, "Watching it evolve into the FA-50, I could see the excellence of domestic defense companies, which raised high expectations for exports."

He called for future changes in military capabilities. He said, "In the future, we need to respond to comprehensive security issues like the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) rather than conventional weapons," and emphasized, "We must actively utilize Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies."

Of course, there were several 'moments of crisis' during his tenure. Following incidents such as a North Korean fishing boat breaching the military and coast guard's surveillance network to enter Samcheok Port, and the illegal entry of a small Chinese boat in Taean, Chungnam, the military had to apologize to the public for these 'security failures.' However, many juniors within the military respect him. He was praised as a senior and superior who was approachable and lacked a sense of authority in a military organization with a strong hierarchy. He was also one of the few cabinet members who actively engaged in communication with the media, with whom he had an 'uncomfortable relationship.'

At 1:30 p.m. that day, Minister Jung will hand over the Ministry of National Defense flag to the new minister, Seo Wook, at the Ministry of National Defense building during the inauguration ceremony. After retirement, he plans to serve as an advisory member at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA).

Minister Jung concluded the interview with a smile, saying, "Having finished a long military career, I plan to spend time with my family and meet acquaintances I haven't seen. I also want to play tennis, which I enjoyed, to maintain my health."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.