(LEAD) alumni groups-military academy

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SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Joint Press Corps-Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Monday the government has no plan to abolish each military academy of the Army, Navy and Air Force, signaling a potential shift in its push to integrate them and set up a single military academy for four-year education.

Kang made the remarks in a meeting with the leaders of alumni associations of the Army, Navy and Air Force, as the defense ministry's plan to integrate their academies has faced pushback from graduates and reserve forces.

Under the basic plan unveiled in July, the government plans to set up an integrated military academy at Jaundae, a compound of military training and education facilities in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul.

"What I can say for certain is that we are not trying to abolish each military academy," Kang said. "Education specific to each military branch surely must be in place, so long as we do not form a unified force," he added.

In particular, the defense chief said he is ready to accommodate more opinions in terms of location.

Kang has repeatedly hinted at partly revising the government plan to establish a tentatively named "National Military Academy" at Jaundae for a full four-year education program since taking office in September.

The ministry is reportedly reviewing a plan to partially keep the facilities of the military academies of the Navy and Air Force intact to enable cadets to receive training specific to their military branches there.

The alumni groups of the Navy and Air Force have fiercely opposed the integration plan, insisting the armed services cannot train cadets at a place without the "sea and runways."

However, whether the Korea Military Academy for the Army, currently located in northern Seoul, will be subject to relocation remains to be seen.

Park Pan-joon, president of the Korea Military Academy Alumni Association, strongly protested the integration plan, while warning of legal action in the event the plan is overturned and nullified in the future.

"I do not understand why the (ministry) is so intent on kicking the Korea Military Academy out of Taereung," Park said, referring to the region housing the military school in Seoul's Nowon district.

"We are taking preparatory steps to ensure all possible means of legal and administrative liability to those responsible, such as a request for audit and damage claims, when the integration plan is nullified later," he added.

The government had initially planned to draw up the detailed road map for the integration plan by last month.

But the announcement has been pushed back amid a strong backlash from graduates and alumni groups, who claimed the move will weaken the individual capabilities of each military branch.

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