Sejong Institute's Seong Jang Calls for Urgent Revision of South Korea's Defense White Paper on North Korea's Military Command
Seong Jang, Deputy Director of the Sejong Institute, emphasizes the need for an urgent revision of the South Korean Defense White Paper, highlighting critical omissions regarding the North Korean military command structure. In his recent study, he asserts that the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Central Military Commission, not the State Affairs Commission, serves as the core of military command in North Korea.
The 2022 Defense White Paper has been criticized for excluding the Central Military Commission and overestimating the authority of the State Affairs Commission. Experts warn that misunderstanding the true nature of the Central Military Commission could hinder effective operational planning, particularly in light of North Korea's nuclear and missile strategies. They advocate for a systematic approach to developing war strategies and negotiations with the Central Military Commission, which has formal military command authority as per the revised Party Rules from 2021.
