Minister of National Defense (South Korea)

South Korean government position

Minister of National Defense

Flag of the Minister of National Defense

Incumbent
Kim Seon-ho (acting)

since 5 December 2024

Ministry of National Defense
Member of| State Council of South Korea
Reports to| President of South Korea
Appointer| President
Formation| August 15, 1948; 76 years ago (1948-08-15)
Deputy| Deputy Minister of National Defense

The Minister of National Defense (Korean: 국방부장관) is the leader and chief executive of the Ministry of National Defense. The minister is responsible for implementing South Korea's National Defense policy.

The current acting Minister of National Defense is Kim Seon-ho since 5 December 2024, after the previous minister, Kim Yong-hyun, suggested to president Yoon Suk Yeol on 3 December that he impose martial law, which failed and resulted in the resignation of the minister.[1] The president has since nominated Choi Byung-hyuk to be the next minister of defense.

## List of ministers

[edit]

Denotes acting minister

No. | Portrait  | Name
(Birth–Death) | Term of office  | Defence branch  | President

|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
1  |  | Lee Beom-seok
이범석
李範奭
(1900–1972) | 15 August 1948  | 20 March 1949  | 217 days  |  Korean Liberation Army |
Syngman Rhee
2  |  | Shin Song-mo
신성모
申性模
(1891–1960) | 21 March 1949  | 5 May 1951  | 2 years, 45 days  |  Republic of Korea Navy
3  |  | Lee Ki-poong
이기붕
李起鵬
(1896–1960) | 7 May 1951  | 29 March 1952  | 327 days  | Civilian
4  |  | Shin Tae-young [ko]
신태영
申泰英
(1891–1959) | 29 March 1952  | 30 June 1953  | 1 year, 93 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
5  |  | Sohn Won-yil
손원일
孫元一
(1909–1980) | 30 June 1953  | 26 May 1956  | 2 years, 331 days  |  Republic of Korea Navy
6  |  | Kim Yong-woo
김용우
金用雨
(1912–1985) | 26 May 1956  | 6 July 1957  | 1 year, 41 days  | Civilian
7  |  | Kim Chung-yul
김정렬
金貞烈
(1917–1992) | 6 July 1957  | 2 May 1960  | 2 years, 301 days  |  Republic of Korea Air Force
8  |  | Lee Jong-chan [ko]
이종찬
李鐘贊
(1916–1983) | 2 May 1960  | 23 August 1960  | 113 days  |  Republic of Korea Army |
Yun Bo-seon
9  |  | Hyun Suk-ho [ko]
현석호
玄錫虎
(1907–1988) | 23 August 1960  | 12 September 1960  | 20 days  | Civilian
10  |  | Kwon Joong-don [ko]
권중돈
權仲敦
(1912–1985) | 12 September 1960  | 30 January 1961  | 140 days  | Civilian
(9)  |  | Hyun Suk-ho [ko]
현석호
玄錫虎
(1907–1988) | 30 January 1961  | 18 May 1961  | 108 days  | Civilian
11  |  | Chang Do-yong
장도영
張都暎
(1923–2012) | 20 May 1961  | 6 June 1961  | 17 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
—  |  | Shin Eung-gyun [ko]
신응균
申應均
(1921–1996)
Acting | 6 June 1961  | 12 June 1961  | 6 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
12  |  | Song Yo-chan
송요찬
宋堯讚
(1918–1980) | 12 June 1961  | 10 July 1961  | 28 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
13  |  | Park Byung-kwon [ko]
박병권
朴炳權
(1920–2005) | 10 July 1961  | 16 March 1963  | 1 year, 249 days  |  Republic of Korea Army

Park Chung-hee
(acting)
14  |  | Kim Sung-eun [ko]
김성은
金聖恩
(1924–2007) | 16 March 1963  | 27 February 1968  | 4 years, 348 days  |  Republic of Korea Marine Corps

Park Chung-hee
15  |  | Choi Young-hee [ko]
최영희
崔榮喜
(1921–2006) | 28 February 1968  | 5 August 1968  | 159 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
16  |  | Im Chung-sik
임충식
任忠植
(1922–1974) | 5 August 1968  | 10 March 1970  | 1 year, 217 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
17  |  | Chung Rae-hyuk [ko]
정래혁
丁來赫
(1926–2022) | 10 March 1970  | 25 August 1971  | 1 year, 168 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
18  |  | Yu Jae-hung
유재흥
劉載興
(1921–2011) | 25 August 1971  | 3 December 1973  | 2 years, 100 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
19  |  | Seo Jong-chul [ko]
서종철
徐鐘喆
(1924–2010) | 3 December 1973  | 20 December 1977  | 4 years, 17 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
20  |  | Roh Jae-hyun
노재현
盧載鉉
(1926–2019) | 20 December 1977  | 14 December 1979  | 1 year, 359 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
21  |  | Joo Young-bok
주영복
周永福
(1927–2005) | 14 December 1979  | 21 May 1982  | 2 years, 158 days  |  Republic of Korea Air Force |
Choi Kyu-hah

Chun Doo-hwan
22  |  | Yoon Sung-min
윤성민
尹誠敏
(1926–2017) | 21 May 1982  | 8 January 1986  | 3 years, 232 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
23  |  | Lee Ki-paik [ko]
이기백
李基百
(1931-2019) | 8 January 1986  | 14 July 1987  | 1 year, 187 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
24  |  | Chung Ho-yong
정호용
鄭鎬溶
(born 1932) | 14 July 1987  | 25 February 1988  | 226 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
25  |  | Oh Ja-bok [ko]
오자복
吳滋福
(1930–2017) | 25 February 1988  | 4 December 1988  | 283 days  |  Republic of Korea Army |
Roh Tae-woo
26  |  | Lee Sang-hoon [ko]
이상훈
李相薰
(1933–2023) | 4 December 1988  | 8 October 1990  | 1 year, 308 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
27  |  | Lee Jong-gu [ko]
이종구
李鐘九
(born 1935) | 8 October 1990  | 20 December 1991  | 1 year, 73 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
28  |  | Choi Se-chang [ko]
최세창
崔世昌
(born 1934) | 20 December 1991  | 26 February 1993  | 1 year, 68 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
29  |  | Kwon Young-hae
권영해
權寧海
(born 1937) | 26 February 1993  | 22 December 1993  | 299 days  |  Republic of Korea Army |
Kim Young-sam
30  |  | Lee Byung-tae
이병태
李炳台
(born 1937) | 22 December 1993  | 24 December 1994  | 1 year, 2 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
31  |  | Lee Yang-ho
이양호
李養鎬
(1937-2020) | 24 December 1994  | 18 October 1996  | 1 year, 299 days  |  Republic of Korea Air Force
32  |  | Kim Dong-jin [ko]
김동진
金東鎭
(born 1938) | 18 October 1996  | 3 March 1998  | 1 year, 136 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
33  |  | Chun Yong-taek [ko]
천용택
千容宅
(born 1937) | 3 March 1998  | 24 May 1999  | 1 year, 82 days  |  Republic of Korea Army |
Kim Dae-jung
34  |  | Cho Song-tae [ko]
조성태
趙成台
(1942–2021) | 24 May 1999  | 26 March 2001  | 1 year, 306 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
35  |  | Kim Dong-shin [ko]
김동신
金東信
(born 1941) | 26 March 2001  | 12 July 2002  | 1 year, 108 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
36  |  | Lee Jun [ko]

(born 1940) | 12 July 2002  | 27 February 2003  | 230 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
37  |  | Cho Yung-kil [ko]
조영길
曺永吉
(born 1940) | 27 February 2003  | 29 July 2004  | 1 year, 153 days  |  Republic of Korea Army |
Roh Moo-hyun
38  |  | Yoon Kwang-ung
윤광웅
尹光雄
(born 1942) | 29 July 2004  | 24 November 2006  | 2 years, 118 days  |  Republic of Korea Navy
39  |  | Kim Jang-soo
김장수
金章洙
(born 1948) | 24 November 2006  | 29 February 2008  | 1 year, 97 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
40  |  | Lee Sang-hee
이상희
李相憙
(born 1945) | 29 February 2008  | 22 September 2009  | 1 year, 206 days  |  Republic of Korea Army |
Lee Myung-bak
41  |  | Kim Tae-young
김태영
金泰榮
(1949-2025) | 23 September 2009  | 4 December 2010  | 1 year, 72 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
42  |  | Kim Kwan-jin
김관진
金寬鎭
(born 1949) | 4 December 2010  | 30 June 2014  | 3 years, 208 days  |  Republic of Korea Army

Park Geun-hye
43  |  | Han Min-goo
한민구
韓民求
(born 1951) | 30 June 2014  | 13 July 2017  | 3 years, 13 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
44  |  | Song Young-moo
송영무
宋永武
(born 1949) | 13 July 2017  | 21 September 2018  | 1 year, 70 days  |  Republic of Korea Navy |
Moon Jae-in
45  |  | Jeong Kyeong-doo
정경두
鄭景斗
(born 1960) | 21 September 2018  | 18 September 2020  | 1 year, 363 days  |  Republic of Korea Air Force
46  |  | Suh Wook

(born 1963) | 18 September 2020  | 10 May 2022  | 1 year, 234 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
47  |  | Lee Jong-sup
이종섭
李鐘燮
(born 1960) | 10 May 2022  | 6 October 2023  | 1 year, 149 days  |  Republic of Korea Army |
Yoon Suk Yeol
48  |  | Shin Won-sik
신원식
申源湜
(born 1958) | 7 October 2023  | 5 September 2024  | 334 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
49  |  | Kim Yong-hyun
김용현
金龍顯
(born 1959) | 6 September 2024  | 5 December 2024[2] | 188 days  |  Republic of Korea Army
—  |  | Kim Seon-ho
김선호
金善鎬
(born 1964) | 5 December 2024[2] | Incumbent | 98 days  |  Republic of Korea Army

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "South Korea's defence minister resigns over martial law crisis". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-12-05.
2. ^ a b "Yoon accepts defense minister's resignation amid martial law chaos". The Korea Times (English Version). 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2024-12-05.

* v
* t
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Republic of Korea Armed Forces

Leadership|

* President of the Republic of Korea
* Minister of National Defense
* Joint Chiefs of Staff
* Chairman

Branches|

* Army
* Navy
* Marine Corps
* Air Force

Reserve components|

* Reserve Forces

Procurement|

* Defense Acquisition Program Administration

History|

* Military history of Korea
* List of militant Korean independence activist organizations
* Korean Liberation Army
* Naval history of Korea
* History of the Republic of Korea Navy
* List of ships of the Republic of Korea Navy

Personnel|

* Conscription in South Korea
* Military Police
* Ranks

Academy and School|

* Korea Military Academy
* Korea Army Academy Yeongcheon (KAAY)
* Korea Naval Academy
* Korea Air Force Academy
* Armed Forces Nursing Academy
* Korea Army Officer Candidate School
* Officer Training School ROKAF

Equipment|

* List of equipment of the Republic of Korea Army
* List of active Republic of Korea Navy ships
* List of Republic of Korea Navy weaponry
* Weapons of mass destruction

*[No.]: Number
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