- Attends National Defense Committee on the 31st, expresses feelings on replacement: "It's already been 1 year and 2 months, every day was painful"
- Political capital exhausted by aggressive reform drives such as the dissolution of the Defense Security Command and the integration of military academies
- Reputation as a 'defense expert' built over 20 years as a lawmaker suffers a fatal blow amid allegations of desertion during his service as a defense reservist
- Successor Kang Shin-chul, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, nominated; Minister Ahn vows to clarify military service allegations after returning to the National Assembly
Ahn Gyu-baek, who held the title of the first civilian head of the Ministry of National Defense in 64 years, is stepping down after 14 months. Appearing before the National Assembly's National Defense Committee on the 31st, he did not hide his bitter feelings about his departure, telling Yonhap News reporters who asked for his thoughts on the replacement, "What thoughts could I have? I just want to rest." President Lee Jae-myung began the process of replacing the defense leadership the previous day by nominating Kang Shin-chul, the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as the new ministerial candidate.
Since taking office as the first defense minister of the Lee Jae-myung administration, Minister Ahn has aggressively pushed for major defense reform tasks. Policies that shook the foundation of the military organization, such as the transfer of wartime operational control, military restructuring, the integration of military academies, and the dissolution of the Defense Security Command, were rolled out one after another. While he cited the strengthening of civilian control as the justification, he faced fierce backlash from the opposition and within the military, sparking controversy over a serious security vacuum.
Minister Ahn stated on this day, "As the first civilian minister of the first sovereign government, I believe there were both merits and faults," adding, "Every day was a time of pain during a chaotic period, and it was heartbreaking to think of the generals who were caught in the crossfire during the process of ending the insurrection." He added, "I spent every day thinking that from my first day of work, today would be my last, and it has already been 1 year and 2 months." He also said, "There has been much progress in defense policy," and "Since a candidate more excellent than me is coming, I will pass the baton to them and engage in legislative activities with all of you."
The fatal controversy over his personal morality was also painful. Allegations of desertion that emerged during his service as a defense reservist followed him like a tag. The reputation as a 'defense expert' that he had built for nearly 20 years as a lawmaker representing a district in central Seoul—not a district with a lucrative standing committee or a border region—was shattered during the ministerial vetting process.
Minister Ahn did not back down from his sense of injustice. He retorted, "Originally, you are exempt three years after your physical examination, but I thought I should at least enlist, so I even changed my address to undergo basic military training," adding, "I went in of my own volition, so what kind of work could I have done?" Even at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan, when asked about the related allegations, he drew a strong line, saying, "There is no change (in my position). Because it is not true in itself."
Despite his long preparation as a defense expert, he is packing his bags having suffered the greatest political damage. Political circles assess that he followed in the footsteps of former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mee, who lost all the political capital of a three-term lawmaker while standing at the center of numerous controversies during the housing price surge. Minister Ahn will return to the National Assembly to personally address the controversy over his military service records. He signaled, "Once I step down, there will be opportunities to go through various procedures and explain in detail to various lawmakers." Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense has begun forming a task force (TF) to prepare for the confirmation hearing of candidate Kang Shin-chul, who will return to the country soon, to welcome the new head.