Main opposition party slams Lee for suggesting coup risk from Army elite

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has lashed out at President Lee Jae Myung for suggesting that the Korea Military Academy was at the heart of past military coups in South Korea. During a defense ministry policy briefing the day before, Lee called for the accelerated integration of these military academies, citing that graduates from the Army academy were responsible for all the nation's coups in the past and warning of the risk of another coup by Army elites.

This stance has been deemed offensive by several opposition lawmakers, with Rep. Han Ki-ho stating that Lee's comments treat cadets as potential coup forces. Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun dismissed Lee's historical references as a means to hold the Korea Military Academy and its graduates accountable, claiming it violates the rule of law.

The president's remarks have raised questions about whether the proposed overhaul of military academies is politically motivated retaliation against the Korea Military Academy, rather than a genuine effort to enhance joint operations. PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok called Lee's remarks "some of the most outrageous remarks" ever uttered, noting that the president's focus on strengthening cooperation and cultivating integrated military talents was undermined by the suggestion that integrating military academies would reduce the likelihood of coups.