Lee Jae-myung: "The Military Must Become a Smart Strong Force Equipped with Advanced Weapons and Equipment"

A Sharp Rebuttal to "Vote-Driven Populism" Editorials:
Stressing the Need for Serious Consideration of South Korea's Military Modernization

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated on the 4th, "The military must develop into a smart strong force equipped with advanced weapons and equipment, and soldiers should transform into specialized professionals in advanced science and technology, rather than merely enduring their youth in mandatory military service."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

On the same day, Lee said on social media (SNS), "Drones, not manned fighter jets, are already dominating the skies over the Ukraine battlefield, and unmanned combat robots will soon become the norm."

He added, "South Korea's defense industry must be developed accordingly. We can and must take the lead."

He also said, "The reason the Donghak Peasant Army, which outnumbered their opponents by four times, was annihilated at the Battle of Ugeumchi Pass was due to weapons," and "Modern warfare is decided more by weapon and equipment systems than by the number of soldiers."

He emphasized, "The future of the country is more important than political strategy," and "The government's AI (artificial intelligence) support policy must focus on manufacturing AI and applied AI."

Lee's post was made as a rebuttal to an editorial by a media outlet. The editorial criticized Lee's remarks on 'military AI transformation,' which he revealed on a YouTube broadcast on the 2nd, labeling them as populist pledges aimed at winning votes from men in their 20s who are critical of Lee and the Democratic Party. It also argued that defense populism, repeated during elections in a country facing North Korea, could render advanced forces such as drones and AI useless.

In response, Lee directly stated, "I hope you will give more thoughtful consideration to the future of South Korea's science and technology, advanced industries, and the modernization of the military."

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