[Q&A] Why Korea’s military needs to revamp its officer training system

President Lee Jae Myung recently criticized the Korea Military Academy (KMA) for never facing accountability, warning of potential coups linked to the institution in the future. The KMA, which has been responsible for training military officers for decades, has become a focal point in discussions about military reform. In a Q&A format, we explore key questions about the military's officer training system and personnel management.

Q. What are the military academies of other countries like?

A. Each country's officer training system varies based on its historical background and cultural traits. For example, Israel has no separate academy and instead selects proven personnel among soldiers to become officers. The US has separate academies for each branch of the military, while France has one academy per branch with graduates receiving master's degrees. The UK's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst offers a one-year intensive program called the Regular Commissioning Course.

Q. Which country's military academy system is most similar to Korea's?

A. The US military academy system closely resembles Korea's. In 1951, during the Korean War, the KMA was revamped as a four-year institution at Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, following Gen. James Van Fleet's suggestion to incorporate the education and training system of West Point.

Q. How many high-ranking military officials are KMA graduates?

A. KMA graduates make up a disproportionately large number of top military positions. They receive preferential treatment, including a 10-year mandatory service period and automatic long-term service classification. KMA graduates comprise 3.7% of second lieutenants but 41%-42% of field-grade officers. Their overrepresentation in higher ranks has historically led to five out of seven four-star generals being KMA graduates under the Lee administration.

Q. Why is the dominance of KMA graduates in top military positions a concern?

A. If structural disparities in promotion based on whether candidates graduated from the KMA exist, outstanding talent may be discouraged from pursuing ROTC or university-graduate officer positions. This could lead to a decline in the overall quality of the officer corps and potentially fuel incidents like the 2024 insurrection attempt, where KMA networks threatened democracy. Maintaining a balance in military personnel appointments is crucial to prevent private interests from overshadowing constitutional values.

Q. How can the military reduce the dominance of KMA graduates at its upper tier?

A. Even if the KMA is merged with other military academies, graduates from a unified academy could still dominate military leadership. To prevent this pattern from recurring, the military needs to implement measures that level the playing field for candidates from different training institutions, ensuring diverse representation in the military's upper echelons.