Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has been sworn in and begun his duties.
At a ceremony on Friday, Ahn declared that the ministry and the military will sever ties to the past, when they were used as tools of martial law, saying the military will dedicate itself only to protecting the country and its people.

Ahn then pledged to boost troop morale, obtain cutting-edge military strength, and turn the “people’s military” into a world-class elite force.

Saying the military faces unprecedented challenges, including population decline and North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile capabilities, the minister called for a complete reform effort, saying the country has wasted time since December in the fallout from martial law.

A civilian defense chief with a background in politics, the five-term lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party promised to break free of tradition in carrying out defense reforms, establishing AI defense capabilities, and reinforcing alliance with the U.S.