Kim Kwan-jin Appointed to Defense Innovation Committee... Returns to Frontline Security After 6 Years

Minister of National Defense for 3 Years and 6 Months Across the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye Administrations

It was reported on the 10th that President Yoon Suk-yeol has nominated former Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin as a vice-chairman-level member of the Defense Innovation Committee, which is set to launch soon. This marks his return to the forefront of national security six years after stepping down as National Security Office Director when the Moon Jae-in administration took office in 2017.

According to the Presidential Office, President Yoon plans to establish the Defense Innovation Committee to deliberate and coordinate the basic plans necessary for advancing a science and technology-strong military, a key national agenda.

The Defense Innovation Committee will be chaired by President Yoon and composed of the National Security Office Director, the Minister of National Defense, four retired generals, and four experts in artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.

Previously, the government deliberated and approved the presidential decree on the "Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the Defense Innovation Committee" at the Cabinet meeting in December last year.

Former Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kim, who has been nominated as an innovation committee member, served as Minister of National Defense for three and a half years across the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations, and was immediately appointed as the National Security Office Director at the Blue House before stepping down after President Moon Jae-in took office.

Kim is known to have applied three major retaliation policies?'strike at the origin of provocation,' 'attack on enemy command,' and 'action before reporting'?in peacetime exercises, which reportedly instilled fear in North Korea.

After the Moon Jae-in administration began, Kim was investigated and detained over the 'Military Cyber Command political comment' case. He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison in the first trial and two years and four months in the second trial, but in October last year, the Supreme Court overturned and remanded some charges, including abuse of power, acquitting him on those counts.

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