Kim Hong-cheol, Retired Air Force Brigadier General, Appointed as Ministry of National Defense Policy Director (Confirmation Needed)
Ministry of National Defense Appoints Kim Hong-cheol, Retired Air Force Brigadier General, as Policy Director… Deemed Suitable for National Agenda Implementation
On October 29, 2025, the Ministry of National Defense announced the appointment of Kim Hong-cheol, a retired Air Force Brigadier General, as the Director-General of Defense Policy. This appointment fills the position that had been vacant for approximately three months since the resignation of former Director-General Cho Chang-rae at the end of July. The Ministry of National Defense stated that Kim Hong-cheol is considered the most suitable person to effectively promote defense issues based on his in-depth understanding and extensive experience in the field of defense policy. In particular, it is expected that he will be able to further develop South Korea's defense policy in the rapidly changing security environment. As the new Director-General, Kim Hong-cheol will oversee overall defense policy and accelerate the promotion of key national tasks.
The new Director-General of Defense Policy, Kim Hong-cheol, graduated from the Air Force Academy as the 39th class and began his military career. He not only laid a theoretical foundation by earning a doctorate in political science from Florida State University in the United States, but also gained extensive practical experience by holding key positions in the military, including President of the Joint Military University, Commander of the 3rd Air Force Training Wing, and Deputy Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Wartime Operational Control Transition Promotion Group. Through these experiences, Kim Hong-cheol is recognized as a defense expert who combines theory and practice. The Ministry of National Defense expects that the new Director-General Kim Hong-cheol will greatly contribute to strengthening South Korea's defense capabilities and actively responding to changes in the security environment based on his expertise and leadership. It is expected that Kim Hong-cheol will play a key role in the defense policy formulation and implementation process.
Recently, the international situation has been rapidly changing, and the security environment in Northeast Asia is also heading towards an unpredictable situation. In this situation, South Korea's defense policy is at a more important point than ever. In particular, the APEC summit to be held in Gyeongju from October 31 to November 1, 2025 is expected to be an opportunity for important discussions related to security cooperation in the Northeast Asian region. Just as a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was held at the APEC summit in San Francisco in November 2023, there is a possibility that a meeting between the leaders of major countries will be held at this Gyeongju APEC summit. In this international diplomatic arena, South Korea's defense policy has even greater significance, and the role of the new Director-General of Defense Policy, Kim Hong-cheol, is expected to become more prominent.
Meanwhile, the trade dispute between the US and China still shows no signs of resolution. On October 9, the Chinese government strengthened export controls on key materials and technologies such as rare earths and batteries, increasing pressure on the United States. In response, US President Donald Trump has taken a strong stance, announcing that he will impose an additional 100% tariff on imports from China from November 1, when the tariff moratorium expires. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bethune argued that if China cannot become a reliable partner, the world will eventually have no choice but to choose 'decoupling' from China, suggesting that the conflict between the US and China could deepen further. This conflict between the US and China could have a direct or indirect impact on South Korea's security environment, and the new Director-General of Defense Policy, Kim Hong-cheol, faces the task of establishing South Korea's defense strategy along with a thorough analysis of these changes in the international situation.
In this complex international situation, the new Director-General of Defense Policy, Kim Hong-cheol, must play a key role in firmly protecting South Korea's security and strengthening its defense capabilities. In addition, he must strive to promote defense reform in line with the rapidly changing security environment and further strengthen the ROK-US alliance. In particular, in a situation where North Korea's nuclear and missile threats are escalating, the new Director-General Kim Hong-cheol must carry out the important mission of maintaining a thorough preparedness posture against North Korea's provocations along with strengthening deterrence. It is expected that he will concentrate all his capabilities on successfully achieving the defense policy goals of the Lee Jae-myung government of South Korea and protecting the safety of the people. The inauguration of the new Director-General Kim Hong-cheol is expected to inject new vitality into strengthening South Korea's defense capabilities.
