Gov't, ruling party agree to set up integrated military academy in Daejeon

The government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Thursday agreed to swiftly push ahead with the establishment of an integrated military academy of the Army, Navy and Air Force, a move they say would sharply enhance their country's defense capabilities in the fast-changing environment.

The government and the DPK announced during a policy consultation meeting at the National Assembly that the envisioned academy will be established at Jaundae, a compound of military training and education facilities in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul.

"The National Military Academy will adopt an academic system that provides autonomy and maximizes each cadet's potential," Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said during a briefing after the meeting.

"It will be located in the heart of the country's science and technology sector, with an exceptional intellectual environment that includes universities such as the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, as well as the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute," he added.

"Unfortunately, ...