Ahn Gyu-back Steps Down as Defense Minister

Outgoing Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back expressed mixed feelings about his tenure on Monday, August 31, 2026. He is stepping down following a Cabinet reshuffle after serving as South Korea's first civilian defense chief in over six decades.

President Lee Jae Myung nominated retired Army General Kang Shin-chul, a former deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, as the new defense minister. The announcement came from Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday.

Ahn's Civilian Tenure

Ahn, a five-term veteran lawmaker from the liberal bloc, was appointed defense minister weeks after President Lee took office in June 2025. "As the first civilian defense minister, I think I have both my share of achievements and shortcomings," Ahn told lawmakers at the National Assembly. He described his feelings as heavyhearted.

His tenure involved several high-stakes and politically sensitive tasks. These included Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control from the United States and a drive to merge three military academies into a single institution.

Controversies and Scrutiny

Ahn recently faced strong pushback over the military academy consolidation plan. He also faced scrutiny over his military service records from the early 1980s.

Renewed allegations suggested he went absent without leave and served time in a military detention facility during his conscription period. The standard service period for a short-term conscript at that time was 14 months, but Ahn served a total of 22 months.

Civic groups and the opposition party questioned the eight-month discrepancy. Ahn denied these claims as groundless, attributing the difference to an administrative error. He stated he was called back after an initial discharge in early 1985 to complete roughly a month of makeup service related to a minor issue investigation. Critics maintain he has not fully accounted for the eight-month gap.

"Once I step down, there will be proper (investigation) procedures, and I believe there will be a chance to explain the details to lawmakers," Ahn said.

Handing Over the Baton

Ahn stated he would return to his duties as a legislator. "I will hand over the baton to the minister nominee, who is far more capable and qualified than myself, and return as a lawmaker to fulfill my parliamentary duties, alongside my fellow lawmakers," he told the assembly.

The source of this report is Yonhap News Agency.