Source: Government of the Republic of Korea
(Unofficial Translation)
Fellow Koreans and proud service members,
It is a great pleasure for me to join the people of our nation in celebrating the 78th Armed Forces Day.
Even as I speak, our naval vessels are on patrol in the waters off the West Coast, our fighter jets are guarding our skies and our service members are standing watch along the frontline fences of the Demilitarized Zone and serving on distant missions around the world. We are truly proud to have them standing steadfastly in our defense.
It breaks my heart when I think of the service members who were recently injured in an unfortunate accident in the Demilitarized Zone.
It reminds us once again that the ordinary lives we enjoy each day are made possible by those who willingly stand in harm’s way.
I wish the injured service members a swift recovery and extend my heartfelt sympathy to their families.
The freedom and peace we enjoy today were not simply handed to us.
They were achieved by the independence fighters and the Korean Liberation Army, who led the struggle for independence against imperial Japan, and are protected by the proud Republic of Korea Armed Forces of today. Our freedom and peace have been secured through the sacrifice and dedication of the service members who gave their lives for our country and people and the founding members of our Armed Forces, as well as our veterans and reservists.
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to the service members of the United States Forces Korea and the member states of the United Nations Command, who stand alongside our military in safeguarding peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Fellow Koreans and proud Armed Forces members,
Today, the Republic of Korea’s military is more powerful than ever before. We are the world’s fifth strongest military power, with our defense budget alone amounting to 1.4 times North Korea’s annual GDP. At the same time, we have entered the ranks of the world’s ten largest economies.
Likewise, every one of our service members possesses world-class capabilities and professionalism.
Yesterday in Ulsan, we held the launching ceremony for the ROKS Daeho Kim Jong-seo, our sixth state-of-the-art Aegis destroyer, built with our own technology.
I found it profoundly moving to stand before that ship.
By the mid-2030s, we will have also successfully built nuclear-powered submarines using homegrown technology.
Looking back, pursuing self-reliance in national defense has never been the task or dream of any one administration alone.
President Park Chung-hee laid the foundation for our defense industry with the determination to begin by producing even a single rifle with our own hands.
President Roh Moo-hyun carried that dream forward through his commitment to defense reform and the transition of wartime operational control.
That enduring aspiration for self-reliance in national defense has brought us to where we are today.
Self-reliance in national defense is sovereignty itself.
Going forward, we will work together with the people to fulfill this half-century-old aspiration of self-reliance in national defense through the transition of wartime operational control.
My fellow Koreans,
Peace and prosperity on this land cannot be given to us by others but must be forged with our own hands, as they always have been.
Winning through combat is important, but winning without having to fight is even more important. The surest form of security is one that renders conflict unnecessary – in other words, one that creates peace.
For the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula, the two Koreas must find a way to win together and build trust.
Trust is not built with words alone.
It begins to take root, little by little, when words are matched by actions.
My administration will consistently pursue practical measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas.
The knots in inter-Korean relations are extremely complex, but we will steadily, patiently strive to untie them, one by one.
I hope that the North joins us now on the path of restoring trust and resuming dialogue, following a long interruption.
My fellow Koreans and beloved members of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces,
The security environment we face today is so uncertain that it is difficult to predict what will happen next.
All too often, brute power is eclipsing norms, with conflicts intensifying in many parts of the world.
From artificial intelligence and drones to robotics, space and cyberspace, cutting-edge technologies are fundamentally transforming the nature of warfare itself.
Countries around the world are working to restructure their armed forces and drive innovation to keep pace with these changes.
In addition, the demographic cliff and the resulting shrinking pool of eligible military personnel present yet another challenge.
Preparing for change before it arrives is itself an essential part of protecting our people.
The only way to overcome these challenges is through bold defense reform.
We will advance our AI capabilities and manned-unmanned teaming system, overhaul our military accordingly and comprehensively update our defense posture. In doing so, we will transform our Armed Forces into a smart, elite and powerful force.
We will upgrade our 3K Defense System so that we can detect, intercept and respond to missile threats at the earliest possible stage.
In particular, we will accelerate the development of future capabilities, including high-energy laser interceptors, AI-based command-and-control systems and high-power missiles, thereby dramatically enhancing our Armed Forces’ ability to deter and respond.
Also, we must prepare for the future of warfare by establishing a Republic of Korea Armed Forces Academy and cultivating world-class elite officers who possess integrated operational capabilities.
I urge all stakeholders to remain open to a broad range of views, build consensus throughout the military and move swiftly and boldly to establish the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Academy.
Through a Conscription-Based Dual-Track Military Service System, we will increase the number of noncommissioned officers in technology-intensive roles, reorienting our force around officers and NCOs.
Young people subject to military service will be able to choose between two paths: a shorter period of service as an enlisted soldier or a longer one as a technology-focused NCO, during which they can pursue educational opportunities, gain employment experience and so on.
In addition, we will strengthen our reservists’ capabilities through substantive and efficient mobilization training and a standing reserve force system.
As we all know, a strong national defense does not come from weapons alone.
Your morale is the very foundation of our national defense.
We will safeguard our service members’ human rights and fundamentally improve the conditions under which they serve.
We will build a military where service members can declare that wearing a uniform was a proud choice.
The government is actively working to improve conditions in the Armed Forces through such policy measures as significantly raising the base pay for entry-level officers and increasing incentives for NCOs with shorter terms of service, effective as of next year.
We will not stop there but will continue striving to provide extraordinary compensation for extraordinary sacrifices.
The sacrifice made for our nation and our community must never become a sacrifice borne by individuals alone.
The more we recognize the value of their sacrifice, the more proudly our uniformed citizens will undertake their duties.
The more we honor their dedication to our nation and communities with the recognition and respect they deserve, the stronger our national security will grow.
To enable our military to complete defense reforms and develop into a smart, elite and powerful force, the government has drawn up a defense budget of 73 trillion won – a year-on-year increase of 8.2 percent.
This figure exceeds our entire national budget for 1997.
The government will continue providing full support going forward.
Trusted members of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces,
Above all else, we must protect the people, the country’s true owners.
I am confident that all service members – who together constitute the people’s military – will devote themselves solely to the inherent duty of protecting the people’s lives and safety, while upholding the Constitution and maintaining political neutrality.
This government, founded on popular sovereignty, has worked to sweep up the aftermath of the unlawful declaration of martial law.
We have strictly held responsible parties within the military accountable. We have firmly strengthened democratic and institutional foundations, for instance, by completely reorganizing military intelligence agencies, including the Defense Counterintelligence Command and the Korea Defense Intelligence Command.
To ensure that the military is never again, under any circumstances, involved in an unlawful insurrection, we will establish a culture and institutional framework that allows our Armed Forces to focus solely on its fundamental mission.
I urge all commanders to lead by example and painstakingly work to swiftly regain public trust and restore our military’s sense of honor.
Fellow Koreans,
Current circumstances are undoubtedly tough.
However, our citizens possess the capacity and experience to turn any number of challenges and hardships into opportunities.
Korea has gone from being a nation unable to properly manufacture even a single rifle to being a military powerhouse that produces and exports state-of-the-art tanks, self-propelled howitzers, fighter jets and naval vessels.
Once a nation that received aid from the international community, we now provide aid to others.
We are already strong enough to defend ourselves.
This is the achievement our people have made possible and the path forward for us all.
I have faith in all of you.
I ask you to serve with confidence and do your utmost in your respective positions, while taking care of your health.
The government will always stand with you, ensuring that your dedication and sacrifice result in honor and pride.
Once again, I would like to join our people in celebrating the 78th Armed Forces Day. I wish you and your families good health and happiness.
Thank you.