Seoul: The defense ministry announced its intention to develop a new defense reform plan for the Lee Jae Myung administration by June next year, focusing on integrating advanced technologies due to the country's decreasing military personnel.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the defense reform plan, initially formulated in 2005, aims to define the government's defense policy direction. This includes aspects such as defense operations, reorganization of military structures, and military culture. The ministry revealed the plan during a conference headed by Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee, which was attended by key ministry officials to deliberate on the initiative's specifics.
During the meeting, participants acknowledged the necessity of reforming the military in response to pressing challenges, including the critical security environment and the reduction in military personnel. Discussions also included designing a long-term strategy to restructure the military with artificial intelligence and advanced technologies to address the manpower shortage, as troop numbers are projected to decrease to 65 percent of their current levels by 2040.
The defense ministry intends to hold comprehensive discussions across the armed forces and seek consultations from related agencies, with the aim of finalizing the blueprint by June 2026.