'Soldier most feared by North Korea' returns to military

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Wed, December 6, 2023 | 13:40

'Soldier most feared by North Korea' returns to military

Posted : 2023-05-11 16:41

Updated : 2023-05-11 16:46

Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, right, poses with President Yoon Suk Yeol at the presidential office in Seoul, Thursday. Kim was appointed as the de facto chief of a committee tasked with military reform. Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho

Kim Kwan-jin, a former defense minister known as the "soldier most feared by North Korea" because of his zero-tolerance stance against the regime's provocations while in office, has been named the de facto chief of a committee tasked with reforming the South Korean military.

According to President Yoon Suk Yeol's office Thursday, Kim is one of 11 members of the Presidential Committee on Military Innovation. With Yoon as the chairman of the body, Kim is expected to lead the effort to improve the military's capabilities against rising nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

Addressing Kim as "the vice chairman" at the committee's first meeting, the president called for fundamental reforms, saying the military must build up an overwhelming force that can deter North Korea and, if an armed conflict occurs, completely defeat it.

More specifically, Yoon called on the committee members to enhance reconnaissance and surveillance abilities, develop a more precise strike capability and establish a more effective air-defense system against not just fighter jets but also drones through necessary legal and administrative reforms.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, an official at the presidential office said Kim, who served also as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and national security adviser, is one of the most qualified, ideal people to play that critical role.

Kim was appointed as defense minister on Dec. 4, 2010, just two weeks after North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, off the west coast of South Korea. During his first day on the job, he visited the island despite security concerns after saying to the National Assembly a day earlier that he "will order an air strike" if North Korea makes another such provocation.

He also told the military to take the approach of "shoot first, report later" in a clear warning to North Korea, which refrained from testing weapons or making other major provocations over the next two years.

Kim was apparently hated ― and feared ― by the regime. Its media showed his photos being used as the targets for gunnery exercises in the North.

But his reputation was tarnished in March 2018 after he was indicted on charges of political meddling and abuse of authority. In October 2022, the Supreme Court struck down a guilty verdict on his alleged abuse of power and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court.

mj6c2@koreatimes.co.kr