Defense ministry in limbo amid governance crisis

[Anchor]

President Yoon Suk Yeol seems to be attempting to appoint a successor, but it appears that the position of Minister of National Defense will remain vacant for a considerable period.

Other cabinet members and law enforcement officials are also facing impeachment proceedings or arrests in the National Assembly, making it inevitable that there will be disruptions in governance.

Reporter Ji Hyung-cheol has the details.

[Report]

The Ministry of National Defense has been operating under an acting minister system for over a week.

This is because former Minister Kim Yong-hyun was dismissed on Dec. 5, and potential successors such as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Choi Byung-hyeok and lawmaker Han Ki-ho have all declined the position.

The military emphasizes that there are no issues with its readiness against North Korea, but the responsibilities of the Minister of National Defense extend beyond just this preparedness.

There is a need for military personnel appointments to stabilize the organization, but there is no precedent for such appointments under an acting system.

A military official stated that if this situation continues for a long time, it will become impossible not to make appointments, but the vice minister has never made high-ranking military appointments.

Making decisions on next-generation weapons worth trillions of won under an acting system is also a burden, and it is uncertain whether the second contract for K2 tanks with Poland, which was likely to be signed within the year, will proceed smoothly.

[Eom Hyo-sik/Secretary General of the National Defense and Security Forum: "The second execution contract, worth 7 trillion won, was nearly finalized, but there have been media reports suggesting Poland may now wait and observe developments."]

Due to the recent martial law situation, the Ministers of Justice and the Interior have also been suspended from their duties or dismissed following the passage of impeachment motions.

The chiefs of the National Police Agency and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who are responsible for public safety, are also under investigation.

Frontline police officers must carry out the tasks of managing security and traffic, as well as safely overseeing large-scale gatherings, including those calling for impeachment, under the acting system.

This is KBS News, Ji Hyung-cheol.