▲ Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul attends a parliamentary hearing at the National Assembly on Sept. 16, 2026. (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks in paras 7-12)

SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul on Wednesday apologized over the short-lived imposition of martial law in 2024, saying he felt heavy responsibility for the incident that occurred while serving as the deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC).

Kang made the remarks during a parliamentary confirmation hearing, as a ruling party lawmaker said the nominee cannot evade "moral" and "political" accountability for the Dec. 3 martial law imposed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

"I feel heavy accountability and deep responsibility as someone who was at the highest rank," Kang said, adding, "I offer my sincere apologies to the people."

Kang called the martial law declaration the military's undermining of the constitutional order.

The nominee was serving as a four-star Army general at the time of the martial law decree but avoided involvement in it as he worked as the CFC deputy commander.

Kang said he told then U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Ge. Paul LaCamera to have faith in South Korea's legal system as he witnessed the National Assembly passing a motion demanding the lifting of martial law.

On Seoul's efforts to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington, Kang said there wouldn't be issues even if it was immediately transferred but stressed the importance of the alliance with the United States.

"It is not wise to fight alone just because you are able to do so," he said. "It is important to transfer OPCON under the solidarity of the South Korea-U.S. alliance where mutual trust is guaranteed."

Seoul is pushing to retake wartime OPCON from Washington before the Lee Jae Myung administration's five-year term ends in 2030.

The nominee also addressed South Korea's possible deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz, saying he understands no decision has yet been made.

"If I become minister, I will make a decision from the perspective of how we can protect the public's safety and national interest," he said.

Seoul has recently been deliberating on whether to deploy military assets to help secure the strait amid U.S. pressure on Seoul to contribute to efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway.

On the government's push to integrate the military academies of the Army, Navy and Air Force, Kang repeatedly stressed that he has the "resolve" to innovate the military academies.

The defense minister nominee, however, said the current blueprint released by the defense ministry has room for improvement, noting he will look into the matter after his appointment.

Kang also came under fire as opposition lawmakers claimed he had falsely registered his residence at a house in Seoul's Guro Ward in 2008 to qualify for a special housing program for a land development project, while he was still serving in Gangwon Province.

"As the nominee for defense minister, I apologize to the public that the issue of real estate came up during my confirmation hearing," he said.

The nominee denied the allegation, saying he was not even aware of the program at the time.

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