The Minister of National Defense (Korean: 국방부장관) of South Korea is the head of the Ministry of National Defense and the senior civilian official responsible for overseeing the Republic of Korea's armed forces. The minister is responsible for implementing South Korea's national defense policy and is a member of the State Council (the national cabinet). The minister is appointed by the President of South Korea and is subject to a confirmation hearing by the National Assembly.
Under the principle of civilian control of the military, Article 87 of the South Korean Constitution mandates that no active-duty member of the armed forces may serve as a member of the State Council. However, South Korean law does not require a mandatory period of hiatus between retirement from military service and appointment to the position of defense minister. As a result, the majority of past ministers have been "quasi-civilians"—former military officers appointed shortly after relief from active duty.
The position was established on August 15, 1948, with the founding of the Republic of Korea. The first minister was Lee Beom-seok, a former member of the Korean Liberation Army.
Current Minister
The incumbent minister is Ahn Gyu-back (안규백), who was appointed by President Lee Jae-myung and took office on July 25, 2025. Ahn is a five-term member of the National Assembly and is considered the first civilian (with no prior military career) to hold the post since the May 16 coup in 1961. He succeeded acting minister Lee Doo-hee, who had served after the resignation of Kim Yong-hyun on December 5, 2024, following the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis.
Key Responsibilities
- Formulation and implementation of national defense policy
- Oversight and administration of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps)
- Budget management and defense procurement
- Civilian control and supervision of the military chain of command
- Representation of South Korea in defense-related diplomatic and security affairs
Appointment and Reporting Structure
The minister reports directly to the President of South Korea and is supported by a Deputy Minister of National Defense. The minister is a statutory member of the State Council and participates in the National Security Council.
