Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Background and tasks of the Defense Ministry’s first 2030 Advisory Group

Professional talents recruited from various sectors including an active officer and female preliminary officer

Assigned to government ministries, commissions and ministerial offices

An intensive discussion takes place quarterly for the four divisions:

barracks, self-development, welfare and culture, and career education

Promotional activities will be conducted for the public through the Defense Media Agency

Defense Minister Shin Won Sik (third on the right) speaks at the launch ceremony for the 2030 Advisory Group at the Defense Ministry in Yongsan, Seoul on March 25.

The Defense Ministry’s 2030 Advisory Group was launched on March 25. The group is expected to contribute to developing and improving defense policy by collecting the opinions of youth and soldiers and exploring tasks based on on-site communications.

The organization of the 2030 Advisory Group and Youth Assistants is a follow-up measure of the government's administrative tasks and was first implemented in August 2022 to develop a channel through which the views of the young generation can be reflected in the national administration and for youth to participate directly in the policy-making process.

The 2030 Advisory Group and Youth Assistants were established and operated on a pilot basis by nine government ministries including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior and Safety, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and the Financial Services Commission. As meaningful policy effects emerged, these were further implemented across all ministry-level central administrative organizations last November.

These programs have been extended to a total of 24 organizations including 15 additional government ministries including the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea Communications Commission, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, and the Personal Information Protection Commission.

At that time, President Yoon Suk Yeol said, “We have intensively discussed reflecting the voice of the young generation in national administration by significantly expanding the participation of youths who were absent from the policy-making process. I expect applications from many young talents who meet the principles of fairness and common sense.”

The 2030 Advisory Group of each organization will promote the participation of youths who were alienated from the policy-making process and convey the perceptions and opinions of youths to Youth Assistants. The Youth Assistants will be positioned and act independently in the ministerial office of each ministry and commission and reflect the views of the young generation in government policies. The Youth Assistants comprise individuals aged 19 to 39.

The 2030 Advisory Group assigned to the Defense Ministry has a total of 24 persons. Talented young people from various backgrounds were recruited, including army soldiers, students who returned to their studies after military service, university professors, company employees, civilian military staff, teachers, and writers. Talents who have a particular association with the military, such as active officers who had served as soldiers and non-commissioned officers and preliminary officer women who will be commissioned next year were also included.

They will serve for one year until February 2025. They will start policy monitoring, such as collecting the opinions of youths about the Defense Ministry’s major policies and exploring tasks with visits to places related to defense policy and communicating with soldiers.

Depending on their occupation and specialization, their tasks will be divided into four categories: barracks, self-development, welfare culture, and career education. Intensive discussions will be made in monthly meetings and quarterly plenary meetings, and results of the meetings will be shared with all departments of the Defense Ministry.

Furthermore, they will attend seminars, hold meetings to report their activities, and publicize youth policy suggestions to the public through various channels such as the Defense Media Agency.

At the inauguration ceremony, the advisory group received a letter of appointment, talked with Minister Shin about their activity plans, and strengthened their commitment. The advisory group showed a strong resolve to develop realistic policy suggestions that reflect the voices of young soldiers.

They said they will actively communicate with their colleagues and associates including soldiers in active service and college students who completed military service, and visit Army, Navy and Air Force units to listen to peers. They made up their minds to establish sound views on security and cultivate their capabilities so that they could look at the military and the society from the right perspectives.

Minister Shin encouraged the advisory group and promised to provide the utmost support.

Youth Assistant Hwang Min-sik, who leads the Advisory Group at the Defense Ministry, stated, “We will guide the Defense Ministry in exploring new horizons in national defense policy alongside youths.”

By Hyun-woo, Seo <lgiant61@dema.mi.kr>

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