Defense minister nominee calls N. Korea 'puppet regime'

By Choi Ha-young

Song Young-moo

President Moon Jae-in’s nominee for defense minister, Song Young-moo, described North Korea as a “puppet regime” while speaking about a 1999 inter-Korean naval skirmish, Monday.

The former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral, who was tapped as defense minister the previous day, participated in the battle, occurring near Yeonpyeong Island on June 15, 1999. He received the Chungmu Order of Military Merit for his contribution to the Navy’s defeat of North Korean forces.

“Following the Korean War, the battle was the first victory of the ROK armed forces over North Korea. No. let me call it a puppet regime. In my life as a sailor, the battle and historical memories of it are the most valuable,” he told reporters.

“As a result of the battle, I became convinced that the North’s combat power was not so threatening. My determination to defeat the North became stronger after the experience.”

The use of the Cold War-style term “puppet regime,” which is no longer commonly used, implies the nominee’s determination to quell the ideological anxieties around him. He is being seen as appealing to conservative lawmakers for his upcoming National Assembly confirmation hearing.

The 1999 naval battle took place following a North Korean patrol boat’s surprise attack. With dominant firepower, ROK forces sank a North Korean torpedo boat and severely damaged nine other vessels. At least 30 North Korean sailors were killed and about 70 injured.

On the South’s side, only one ship and four high-speed boats were slightly damaged. Without fatalities, nine South Korean sailors received minor injuries.

Song’s nomination shows the liberal President’s apparent bid to sweep away corruption in defense industries, firmly rooted in irregular ties with the military.

“The warfare paradigms for the Army, Navy and Air Force are surely changing. We need to think about a new military that could (correspond to) the changes of the warfare environment and weapons systems,” Song said on the same day.