Roh’s Remarks Infuriate Ex-Officials

Former defense ministers and retired generals are planning to hold an emergency meeting to discuss responses to President Roh Moo-hyun’s criticism of former military leaders. President Roh recently criticized the leaders for having made impolite comments about the efforts to regain wartime operational control of the Korean armed forces from the U.S.

Seongwoohoe (a club of retired generals) said on December 24, “Former defense ministers, former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former chiefs of the three branches of armed forces, and former deputy chiefs of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command decided to have an emergency meeting on December 26 to discuss the issue.”

A retired general said, “The president’s remarks made most former military leaders feel extremely frustrated and infuriated. They are planning to exchange opinions about how to respond to the remark in an emergency meeting and make their opinion clear through a joint statement.” The president argued that wartime operational control of South Korea’s military should be transferred to South Korea at a meeting with the standing committee of the National Unification Advisory Council on December 21. At the meeting, while criticizing former defense ministers who have opposed the transfer, the president said, “They are neglecting their duties”; “They should be ashamed of themselves”; and “They are too overweening.” If the former defense ministers refute the president’s remarks, the conflict between the Commander in Chief and former military leaders is expected to deepen.

ysh1005@donga.com