▲ President Lee Jae Myung delivers a congratulatory address during a joint commissioning ceremony of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies held at the military headquarters in Gyeryong, some 145 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ President Lee Jae Myung (C) salutes the national flag during a joint commissioning ceremony of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies held at the military headquarters in Gyeryong, some 145 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 20, 2026, accompanied by Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (L) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung (R). (Yonhap)

Lee-military

Lee calls for military to arm with strong, self-reliant defense capabilities

By Kim Eun-jung

GYERYONG, South Korea, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Friday called for the military to arm itself with strong and self-reliant defense capabilities by building upon the alliance with the United States.

Lee made the remarks during a joint commissioning ceremony of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies held at the military headquarters in Gyeryong, some 145 kilometers south of Seoul.

"We must arm ourselves with a strong resolve for self-reliant national defense to ensure that we protect our country with our own strength," Lee said in a congratulatory address.

Lee stressed the need to build a strong military amid the changing international landscape, highlighting South Korea's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and defense spending that amounts to 1.4 times North Korea's gross domestic product.

"Some are still trapped in a dependent mindset that self-reliant defense is impossible," he said. "Such outdated perceptions and attitudes should now be sent to the museum of a bygone era."

As part of efforts to take a more leading role in the national defense, Lee reaffirmed his commitment to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington. He has pledged to regain OPCON within his five-year term ending in 2030.

"When we regain OPCON based on strong pride in our defense capabilities and lead the Korea-U.S. combined defense posture based on the strength of our formidable military power, the era of true self-reliant national defense will open," he said.

Marking the first joint commissioning ceremony since 2017, Lee underlined the need to enhance the combined operational capabilities of the Army, Navy and Air Force and to foster a "smart, elite" military by integrating artificial intelligence and manned-unmanned weapons systems.

"The government will spare no large-scale investment, including the acquisition of cutting-edge weapons systems," he said.

Lee also urged the military to reflect on its involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid in 2024 and to restore public trust while remaining true to its mission of protecting the people.

"The military must completely eradicate the remnants of the illegal martial law and build armed forces that remain faithful to their fundamental mission and role," he said.

On Thursday, Yoon was sentenced to life in prison for leading an insurrection through the failed martial law bid in December 2024, while former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

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