Top Defense Officials Clash Over Budget Plan
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee criticized Vice Defense Minister Chang Soo-man for his move to cut the proposed defense budget for next year in a letter Lee sent Tuesday to Cheong Wa Dae and the Ministry of Finance and Economy, sources said Wednesday.
The conflict between the two top defense officials came as the governing camp reviews the ministry's budget plan for next year.
A presidential spokesman, however, downplayed the meaning of the letter, saying that it is natural for officials to have different opinions on budget issues.
The ministry earlier asked the government to earmark 30.8 trillion won in 2010 defense budget, up 7.9 percent from this year.
The finance ministry, however, recently proposed limiting the budget increase to 3.8 percent through consultations with Vice Minister Chang.
Minister Lee, however, claimed in the letter that Chang failed to discuss his idea on the budget reduction with him or other senior defense officials.
A defense official who read the letter said the minister called Chang's behavior a "revolt" against him.
"Lee was angry over the fact that Chang proposed the budget reduction to the government, despite objections from most generals. The vice minister did not even report it to the minister," the official said.
Lee wrote that the government should approve the original version of the budget plan, saying a budget cut will dampen the ministry's efforts to strengthen defense capabilities.
The letter was sent to presidential chief of staff Chung Chung-kil, Kim Sung-hwan, senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and security, Yoon Jin-sik, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, and Strategy and Finance Minister Yoon Jeong-hyun.
Vice Minister Chang built his career at the finance ministry and served as head of the Public Procurement Service before being named vice defense minister in January. He was a key economic advisor to President Lee Myung-bak during campaigns in late 2007.
During a recent defense forum in Seoul, Chang called for the need to cut the defense budget, saying taxpayers' money is being wasted on some defense projects.
Analysts worried Lee's antipathy toward Chang reflects a growing conflict in the military's top brass over next year's budget, saying their conflict will dampen the morale of soldiers.