December 22, 2025
SEOUL – The Defense Ministry has proposed restoring its North Korea Policy Division tied to inter-Korean military talks and confidence-building, while reshuffling its organization to elevate military AI and other future-force programs.
The Defense Ministry explained that the decision to change the name and function of the existing North Korea Strategy Division back to its previous identity to “strengthen the legitimacy of its North Korea policy implementation, including inter-Korean military talks and confidence-building measures.”
In July 2024, the ministry rebranded the North Korea Policy Division as the North Korea Strategy Division under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to shift its focus toward sanctions-related tasks.
The North Korea Strategy Division had dropped the previous mandate of maintaining and complying with the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement on Sept. 19, 2018, which was fully suspended by North Korea in November 2023.
The reshuffle was formalized after the Defense Ministry pledged to “proactively and step-by-step restore the Sept. 19 military agreement to effectively support the government’s efforts toward peace on the Korean Peninsula” during its policy briefing for 2026 on Dec. 18.
The ministry has put up for legislative notice for proposed changes to the enforcement rule governing its organizational structure.
The Defense Ministry has also opted to revive the post of assistant minister for the first time in 20 years by creating a new assistant minister position to support the development and application of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies in the defense sector.
The assistant minister position at the Defense Ministry was abolished in 2006 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration. However, the ministry has hinted at the possibility of reviving the post since the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration, and the latest legislative notice has fleshed out those plans.
According to the proposed revision, the new assistant minister will assist Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek and Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee in overseeing defense AI planning, force development policy, defense informatization and logistics management
The reshuffle also aims to strengthen the ministry’s capabilities in new kinds of warfare.
The Advanced Force Planning Bureau, currently housed under the Military Force Policy Bureau, will be spun off and reorganized as the Defense AI Planning Bureau under the revived assistant minister post.
As part of the overhaul, a new division will be established within the Defense AI Planning Bureau to enhance the formulation and coordination of defense AI policy, with seven additional staff positions to be added.
The Manned–Unmanned Teaming Division, which was created as a temporary unit under the Military Force Policy Bureau, will be converted into a permanent organization. According to the legislative notice, the restructuring is intended to “ensure the smooth execution of tasks related to the transition to manned–unmanned integrated combat systems.”
The legislative notice was posted on Dec. 19, with the public comment period running through Friday. The change is slated to take effect early next year.