South Korea Appoints Ahn Gyu‑back as First Civilian Defence Minister in 64 Years Under President Lee Jae‑Myung.
International
On June 23, 2025, South Korean President Lee Jae‑Myung, in a move to reassert civilian control, appointed veteran lawmaker Ahn Gyu‑back as the country’s first civilian Defence Minister since 1961.
- Ahn Gyu‑back, a five‑term member of South Korea’s National Assembly and former chair of its Defence Committee, most recently led a parliamentary investigation into last December’s martial-law controversy. His appointment fulfills a major promise by President Lee to restore democratic oversight over the military.
- This appointment breaks a 64-year tradition of military-appointed defence chiefs, back to the 1961 military coup. Lee’s action was widely cheered by civilian-nature governance advocates across the country as a critical step toward democratic consolidatio.
- Ahn Gyu‑back's selection coincides with Lee’s broader cabinet restructuring that includes nominating Cho Hyun, former UN ambassador, as Foreign Minister, and veteran diplomat Chung Dong‑young for the Cabinet-level Ministry of Unification—emphasizing a policy shift toward diplomatic prudence.
Main Point :- (i) This move comes after former President Yoon Suk-Yeol was dismissed in April 2025 and ex-Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun was put on trial for insurrection linked to the December 2024 martial-law crisis, which triggered national protests and led to renewed civilian oversight in defence leadership.
(ii) The legislative hearing for Ahn Gyu‑back is expected to be a formality, given President Lee’s Democratic Party’s majority in the National Assembly. His expected confirmation is seen as a signal of renewed civilian primacy in defence matters.
(iii) Ahn Gyu-back’s appointment comes amid heightened regional tensions, particularly over North Korea’s escalating missile tests and closer military ties between Pyongyang, Moscow, and Beijing. His civilian leadership is expected to prioritize strengthening South Korea’s independent defence capabilities, revamping military oversight mechanisms, and restoring public confidence in national security management, especially after the 2024 martial-law scandal that shook civil-military trust across the Korean Peninsula.
About South Korea
President: Lee Jae-myung
Currency: South Korean won
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