Defense ministry holds public debate on top command reform

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry held Wednesday a public debate on plans to reform the military's top command structure, in an effort to avoid backlash from some retired generals, officials said.
The ministry unveiled a series of military reforms in March in response to North Korea's two deadly attacks last year. Among other things, the reform would allow the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to wield more power to enhance the interoperability among the three armed services.
Former Navy and Air Force generals, however, bemoaned the move, claiming that it would only increase the dominance of the Army as Army generals have traditionally assumed the role of JCS chairman.
About 300 people, including 70 retired general-grade officers, attended the three-hour debate, ministry officials said.
One retired general told Yonhap News Agency that, "The Defense Ministry must withdraw the reform measures that prefer the Army and push for a balanced reform."
South Korea's military has been centered on ground troops and the JCS has assigned its chairman from the Army, with the one exception of former Air Force general Lee Yang-ho, who assumed the role between 1993 and 1994.
The military has been under growing calls to improve interoperability among the Army, Navy and Air Force to better respond to North Korean provocations. Last year, North Korea sank a South Korean warship and bombarded a South Korean border island, killing 50 people, including two civilians.