{
  "id": 3676664,
  "title": "Seoul seeks better public input after disrupted hearing on military academy plan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/seoul-seeks-better-public-input-after-disrupted-hearing-on-military-3676664",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T05:52:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/defense/20260827/seoul-seeks-better-public-input-after-disrupted-hearing-on-military-academy-plan"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul's defense ministry aims to improve public input processes following a chaotic hearing on its plan to merge three military academies. The first hearing, organized by the ministry, descended into chaos on Wednesday when opposition from alumni and cadets turned the event into a shouting match. Senior officials were subjected to boos and abusive language as they attempted to explain the merger proposal. This disruption occurred just days after the government unveiled its basic plan to consolidate the Army, Navy, and Air Force academies, a key initiative of the Lee Jae Myung administration. The plan has faced strong opposition from alumni groups and others who view it as a politically motivated effort to undermine the military, particularly the Army, given its historical involvement in coups and the brief martial law period under former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Seoul is now seeking more effective methods for gathering public feedback on the proposed merger.",
  "summary": "The defense ministry said Thursday it will consider more effective ways to gather public input on its plan to merge three military academies, after the first hearing on the proposal ended in a complete shambles. The ministry-hosted hearing descended into bedlam on Wednesday as angry alumni and cadets opposing the plan engaged in shouting matches to vent their objections, booing and hurling…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Seoul seeks better public input after disrupted hearing on military academy plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/seoul-seeks-better-public-input-after-disrupted-hearing-on-military",
        "published": "2026-08-27T04:57:38.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Seoul seeks better public input after disrupted hearing on military academy plan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/seoul-seeks-better-public-input-after-disrupted-hearing-on-military-3678029",
        "published": "2026-08-27T06:02:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}