[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Cadet Education Changing with Each Administration

Essential Subjects Like North Korean Studies Abolished During Moon Jae-in Government
Army, Navy, and Air Force Academies to Increase Hours Starting This Year

There are criticisms that the Army, Navy, and Air Force Academies change their mandatory courses every time the government changes, causing confusion among cadets. It has been revealed that the academies have expanded or plan to expand the education hours and credits for subjects that were abolished during the Moon Jae-in administration.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the military on the 12th, the Army Academy changed some subjects such as the Korean War history, North Korean studies, and military strategy from 'mandatory' to 'elective' courses starting in 2019, and the Naval Academy did the same from 2021. This curriculum revision contrasts with institutions like the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Japan National Defense Academy, and the French Saint-Cyr Military Academy, which designate their own war history and military strategy as mandatory courses.

At that time, this curriculum revision was led by the command of the Army Academy's faculty during the Moon Jae-in government, and although internal faculty members raised objections, they were reportedly ignored.

In the case of the 79th class of the Army Academy, it was confirmed that out of about 280 cadets, more than half?around 190?did not take the Korean War history and North Korean studies courses, and about 210 did not take military strategy. The Army and Naval Academies introduced liberal arts-focused lectures such as gender sensitivity and equality, general education courses, and reading programs as mandatory courses.

With the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the academies changed their stance. The Air Force Academy increased the Korean War history education hours from the existing 8 hours to 19 hours starting from the second semester of this year, and plans to expand it to 21 hours from the first semester of next year. The credits assigned to this subject were also adjusted from 5 to 6 credits.

The Naval Academy changed two subjects, including 'North Korean Studies,' from electives to mandatory courses that all cadets must take. The Korean War history education, which was conducted for 2-3 hours (one week) within subjects like 'Korean History,' 'Admiral Yi Sun-sin and the Korean Navy,' and 'Naval Battles,' was increased to a maximum of 9 hours (three weeks). The Army's 3rd Military Academy designated 'North Korean Politics,' previously an elective, as a mandatory course and introduced 'Military Strategy,' which includes Korean War history content. Cadets must complete this course to graduate. The existing course 'War and the Laws of War' was reorganized into 'Korean War History.'

The Army Cadet Military School, which trains ROTC officers, will officially adopt the Korean War history course from next year, following pilot education conducted at each ROTC unit from this month until November.

The academies explained that the strengthening of Korean War history education is based on the judgment that cadets need to establish their identity as future military leaders and have a firm sense of national security and historical perspective.

During last year's National Assembly audit, the ruling party urged the Ministry of National Defense and the military to immediately correct the Moon Jae-in administration's measure of converting Korean War history into an elective course at the academies.

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