Overview

• President Lee Jae Myung nominated five-term lawmaker Ahn Gyu-back as defense minister earlier this month, marking the first civilian nominee in 64 years.
• Ahn told reporters he will reexamine the suspended 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction pact from its starting point if confirmed.
• He emphasized dialogue as the cornerstone of his North Korea policy and proposed a multitrack engagement strategy to seek peace on the peninsula.
• Ahn signaled plans to assess defense spending and the strategic flexibility of U.S. Forces Korea through the lens of South Korea’s national interests.
• The nominee is preparing for a parliamentary confirmation hearing that will decide his appointment as defense minister.