**Hong Hyun-ik, Former President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, Takes Chair Position… Includes Figures like Kim Jung-sub**
A civilian-led advisory body directly under the Minister, “Aiming to Reflect the Public’s Perspective”
On September 30, a special advisory committee for overcoming internal conflicts and designing future national defense, directly under Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek, was launched. This comes in the wake of the 12/3 martial law incident, with the goal of stabilizing the military which was shaken and addressing threats like the intensification of North Korea’s threats and the population decline crisis. On the 28th, Minister Ahn was seen conversing with Hwang Hee, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, in the National Assembly’s main conference hall.
According to Herald Economy reporter Shin Dae-won, the advisory committee, tasked with designing national defense reform amid several crises, was established following the shaky aftermath of the 12/3 martial law incident.
The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 30th, “Today, we inaugurated the ‘Civil-Military Joint Special Advisory Committee for Overcoming Internal Conflicts and Designing Future National Defense’ at the Ministry of Defense building and held its first meeting.”
The Ministry further explained, “By operating a minister-direct advisory body led by civilians, we aim to reflect the public’s perspective in the national defense-related state affairs of the people’s sovereignty government.”
The chairman role is taken by Hong Hyun-ik, who previously served as the head of the foreign affairs section of the National Planning and Advisory Committee in the Lee Jae-myung government.
Kim Jung-sub, Senior Research Fellow at the Sejong Institute, Kim Jong-chul, Professor of Law at Yonsei University, Park Chan-woon, Professor of Law at Hanyang University, and Choi Young-jin, Professor at Chung-Ang University, are serving as division heads.
Previously, members of the National Defense Committee belonging to the People Power Party opposed the special advisory committee, arguing that legal judgments concerning “insurrection” remain pending and that there is no confirmation on whether former President Yoon Seok-yeol’s 12/3 martial law declaration constituted an insurrection. They urged Minister Ahn to cancel the committee’s launch.