Lee Urges Efforts to Restore Wartime Operational Control at Military Commanders' Meeting... Meets Colonel Cho Sunghyun, Says "I've Always Wanted to Meet You"

Presides Over First Major Military Commanders Meeting at the Ministry of National Defense
Emphasizes: "The Military Belongs to the People"
Key Agendas Include Realization of Self-Reliant National Defense
Urges Advancement to an Advanced and

On the afternoon of March 27, President Lee Jaemyung conferred the Samjeong Sword of Honor upon Navy Chief of Staff Kim Kyungryul. Following the ceremony, he convened a meeting of key personnel from the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and major military and defense-related agencies, presiding over the Armed Forces Senior Commanders Conference. President Lee then visited the Command and Control Center, where he met Colonel Cho Sunghyun—who, as the commander of the 1st Security Battalion of the Capital Defense Command during the 12·3 Rebellion, had ordered, "Do not cross the Seogang Bridge." During their meeting, President Lee said, "I have wanted to meet you," and shook hands with Colonel Cho.

Yonhap News Agency

This conference, held at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, Seoul, was the first Armed Forces Senior Commanders Conference presided over by President Lee since the inauguration of the Government of National Sovereignty. The meeting was convened to share military command guidelines amid a grave security situation and to strengthen the commitment to self-reliant national defense. More than 150 key officials from the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and major military branches and agencies attended in person, while key operational commanders and commanders of overseas deployment units participated via video teleconference (VTC).

In his opening remarks, President Lee expressed gratitude to the military personnel for their dedication and commitment to fulfilling their core duties amid various crises and disaster situations. He emphasized that the top priority for the armed forces is to maintain a fully prepared posture capable of responding to any crisis or provocation. President Lee also stressed that the military belongs not to the president, but to the people, urging the armed forces to remain loyal to the citizens. He called for concerted efforts to restore wartime operational control.

During the subsequent closed-door session, President Lee first received a security briefing from Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyubaek covering the Middle East, surrounding countries, and the current security situation at home and abroad. According to Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yoojeong, President Lee then reviewed the status of military activities, the implementation of command guidance, and the progress of major national defense policies.

The meeting addressed several key defense issues, including: ▲ support for the protection of overseas Korean nationals in the Middle East ▲ realization of self-reliant national defense ▲ stable military management of border areas ▲ rebuilding the military as the armed forces of the people

▲ strengthening the Korean three-axis system’s capabilities to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats ▲ and enhancing abilities in consideration of recent warfare trends and lessons learned from operational experiences.

Yonhap News Agency

After the reports and discussions, President Lee urged all participants to help the armed forces make a leap forward as a technologically advanced and resilient military, capable of achieving self-reliance under any circumstances. He concluded the meeting by confirming the safety of troops through video teleconference with commanders of the Dongmyeong, Cheonghae, and Ak units, and once again called on the military to transform itself into a truly national armed forces loyal to the country and its people.

After the meeting, President Lee visited the underground Command and Control Center at the Ministry of National Defense to encourage the personnel on duty. According to Spokesperson Kang, President Lee shook hands with Colonel Cho Sunghyun, telling him, "I have wanted to meet you," before leaving the Command and Control Center.

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