[Defense Brief] K-Defense Needs a Commander

When military commanders are promoted to the rank of general, they receive the Samjeong Sword from the President, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief. The Samjeong Sword is a ceremonial longsword engraved with the three core missions of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces-defense of the nation, unification, and prosperity. The blade bears the President’s handwritten signature and Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s motto, “Those who are determined to die will live, and those who are determined to live will die.” However, there are some unfortunate generals in the current administration who have not received the Samjeong Sword. These are the 78 Army, Navy, and Air Force officers who were promoted in November last year. Their promotion reports were indefinitely postponed due to former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of martial law. Although they eventually reported their promotions, there was no President to present them with the Samjeong Sword.

Given these circumstances, the Ministry of National Defense notified this year’s newly promoted generals in May to collect their Samjeong Swords at the underground parking lot of the Defense Convention Center near the main gate of the Ministry in Yongsan, Seoul. The engraving on the Samjeong Sword was even more humiliating. Instead of the President’s handwritten signature, only the words “President of the Republic of Korea” were inscribed. It was a sword with no commander to pledge allegiance to.

There is also a defense industry company that has suffered misfortune due to the absence of a leader in the current administration: Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Kang Ku-young, the former CEO appointed during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, dismissed 21 executives early in his tenure. The resulting vacancies were filled with his close associates. This bloated personnel management led to poor performance. In the second quarter of this year, KAI’s sales reached 828.3 billion won, a 7.1% decrease compared to the same period last year. This contrasts sharply with Hanwha Aerospace, whose sales rose by 168.7%, LIG Nex1, which grew by 56.3%, and Hyundai Rotem, which increased by 29.5%.

KAI has faced repeated setbacks in domestic contracts. The Black Hawk helicopter performance improvement project, worth 1 trillion won, was awarded to Korean Air. The development of the Cheollian Satellite 5, Korea’s first civilian-led geostationary satellite, and the electronic warfare equipment project were both lost to LIG Nex1. Indonesia appears to be withdrawing from the KF-21 Korean supersonic fighter jet project. Despite former CEO Kang’s bold promises earlier this year to diversify contract acquisitions, no such achievements have materialized. Nevertheless, the government’s appointment of a new leader remains indefinitely delayed. Even the appointment of the president of the Export-Import Bank of Korea, KAI’s largest shareholder, has been postponed, leaving the selection of a new KAI CEO in limbo.

The same is true for the head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, who oversees the entire defense industry. Eom Jong-geon, the current commissioner, was appointed in February last year during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and is expected to step down with the change of government. However, he has not relinquished his position and has only caused further controversy in various projects. For the Korean Next-Generation Destroyer (KDDX) project, he is pushing for a private contract with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, which has a history of leaking military secrets. Conversely, for the submachine gun project for special operations, he insists on a competitive bid, allowing a company with a record of leaking military secrets to participate. The logic is inconsistent, and there are no clear standards. For the multipurpose unmanned vehicle procurement project, he caused further controversy by accepting additional proposals, which is not allowed by regulations. Industry insiders complain that a leader who should have already stepped down is merely occupying the position, unable to make any decisions and simply watching the situation unfold.

The future of K-Defense without a commander looks even bleaker. There are many unresolved challenges, such as the U.S. ship maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) business, where investments in personnel and facilities have been made but the timeline for returns is unclear; the European market, where funding has increased but opportunities for K-Defense exports have diminished; and the intangible fields of artificial intelligence and unmanned systems. Now is the time for a responsible K-Defense leader who holds the Samjeong Sword.

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