▲ This photo, provided by the defense ministry, shows Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back speaking during a seminar on defense reform in Seoul on June 9, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

defense chief-military reform

Defense chief calls for military reform to respond to changing security environment

SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Tuesday underscored the need to overhaul the military, including by expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI), to better respond to the future warfare landscape and personnel shortages.

Ahn made the remarks during a seminar outlining plans to reform the military by 2040, as Seoul seeks to better address advancing threats from North Korea and cope with declining military manpower.

"We are at a time when dramatic change is necessary to preemptively respond to a complex security environment and the changes in the paradigm of warfare," Ahn said.

Under the plan, the ministry aims to expand the use of manned-unmanned teaming combat systems incorporating drones and robots, due to a drop in the number of men of enlistment age for mandatory service.

The plan also calls for increasing the outsourcing of troops in non-combat scenarios.

The ministry has formed a task force to push for the defense reform plan since September last year and plans to finalize the details of the reform plan by next month.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]