Kim Myung-soo, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Nominee, Says "There Are Restrictions in Military Agreement"

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Kim Myung-soo (Naval Academy Class 43), the nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement "definitely has military restrictions."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 1st, Kim, upon arriving at his office set up in the Ministry of National Defense annex in Yongsan for the first time, responded to reporters' question asking whether he thought the 9·19 agreement affects defense posture enough to warrant suspension of its effectiveness by saying this.

Regarding his appointment as the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman nominee at a time when North Korea's nuclear threat is more advanced than ever, he said, "I feel a heavy sense of responsibility," adding, "The Republic of Korea military must exist like a tiger and act like a hunting dog when fighting."

He rebutted criticism that the military's failure to detect four North Korean residents who defected by crossing the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in a small wooden boat on the 24th of last month, as they were first discovered by fishermen rather than the military, was a 'surveillance failure.' Kim said, "I think the Joint Chiefs of Staff's announcement was very well done," adding, "We cannot disclose all operational details. There are parts that can be disclosed and parts that cannot, and disclosure itself could become a vulnerability for us."

When asked whether the military should introduce light aircraft carriers (30,000-ton class) or nuclear-powered submarines, which the Moon Jae-in administration emphasized to counter maritime expansion by neighboring countries, he said, "I have personal thoughts on that," but added, "As a nominee for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it is necessary to consider various overall national, strategic, and operational judgments," withholding further comment.

His appointment as a naval officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the first in 10 years since Choi Yoon-hee (served 2013?2015) in 2013, and only the second in history. Regarding this, Kim said, "The essence of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps is the same. Their basic mission is to defend the country and its people, and by their very existence, they must deter and threaten the enemy," emphasizing, "Whether it is the Army or Navy in carrying out that mission is not important. We fight with the same purpose based on jointness." He added, "The Joint Chiefs of Staff has experienced general staff officers and excellent field-grade officers. If we gather their wisdom and maintain teamwork, we can accomplish everything."

Kim Myung-soo, a native of Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk, has served as captain of the Sejong the Great-class destroyer, Director of Operations Division 2 at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commander of the 2nd Naval Fleet's 2nd Maritime Battle Group, Commander of the Naval Operations Command's Maritime Operations Headquarters, Commander of the 1st Naval Fleet, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, and Commander of Naval Operations Command. He is a representative naval operations expert with extensive experience in major maritime operational command and staff positions, as well as Joint Chiefs of Staff service. During his tenure as Commander of the Naval Operations Command, he led combined exercises between South Korea and the U.S., as well as South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, contributing to the establishment of a combined maritime defense posture. He is also recognized for successfully commanding propulsion detection, tracking, and salvage operations during North Korea's reconnaissance satellite launches.

The National Assembly's National Defense Committee plans to hold a confirmation hearing for Kim around the 15th of this month.

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