Jin Jeong-seok: "Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin Also Recommended 'Relocating Office to Yongsan'"

Kim Kwan-jin "Underground bunkers in every Ministry of National Defense building... Strategically important locations"
"The first security task of the Yoon administration is the swift restoration of the ROK-US security cooperation system"

Jung Jin-seok, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, stated that he met with Kim Kwan-jin, former National Security Office chief, to seek advice on the office relocation plan.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Jung Jin-seok, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and a close associate of President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, revealed that former National Security Office Director Kim Kwan-jin had recommended relocating the presidential office to the Yongsan Ministry of National Defense building.

On the 20th, Deputy Speaker Jung posted on his Facebook page, sharing Kim's opinion on the office relocation. He stated, "On March 16, I met with former National Security Office Director Kim Kwan-jin to hear his valuable insights on the new government's foreign and security policies," adding, "I conveyed Kim's opinion to the Yoon transition team. I am reporting Kim's statements exactly as they were recorded in the report."

According to Deputy Speaker Jung, Kim said, "If the office is moved to the Government Complex or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, there will be issues with the president's wartime command and emergency evacuation because those locations do not have underground bunkers," and added, "Yongsan has underground bunkers in every Ministry of National Defense building."

Regarding some opposition claiming that "Yongsan is a land of humiliation where foreign troops were stationed," Kim explained, "Because Yongsan is a strategically important location, the Qing dynasty, Japanese troops, and U.S. military were stationed there," emphasizing, "This means it is strategically significant. That is why our Ministry of National Defense is located in Yongsan."

Furthermore, Deputy Speaker Jung conveyed that Kim elaborated, "It seems appropriate to move the presidential office to the Ministry of National Defense building and adjust related defense facilities," and "The Foreign Minister’s official residence in Hannam-dong is twice the size of the Defense Minister’s residence. The presidential residence can be relocated there."

Kim also stressed, "Firmly securing military deterrence against North Korea is peace. There are forces that consider bowing to Kim Jong-un and being cautious as peace," and emphasized, "The first security task of the Yoon Seok-yeol government is to swiftly restore the ROK-U.S. security cooperation system."

Meanwhile, Kim Kwan-jin served as Minister of National Defense for three and a half years during the Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak administrations, and as Director of the National Security Office for three years during the Park Geun-hye administration.

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