The Ministry of National Defense is set to resume publication of its Defense White Paper after a four-year hiatus caused by the December 3 state of emergency. This will be the first white paper released under the Lee Jae Myung administration, and observers are eager to see if the phrase North Korea is the enemy, established by the Yoon Suk Yeol government, will be revised amid efforts to ease tensions between the two Koreas.
According to a News1 report on Tuesday, the Ministry of National Defense has recently commissioned a design project for the 2026 Defense White Paper. The ministry aims to select a contractor in early April and plans to publish the white paper as early as December.
The Defense White Paper outlines South Korea’s defense policy objectives and assesses military threats from North Korea. First published in 1967, it was released annually from 1988 to 2000 and has been issued biennially since 2004.
Rather than presenting future policy visions, the white paper typically focuses on evaluating policy implementation and assessing the current year’s situation. It is usually published in December or early the following year.
The second Defense White Paper under the Yoon administration was initially slated for release by the end of 2024, but plans were derailed due to the aftermath of the December 3 state of emergency.
After careful consideration, the Ministry of National Defense decided to publish the white paper by the end of this year, taking into account changes in defense policies and North Korea strategies resulting from the government transition.
This upcoming Defense White Paper, the first since the change in administration, is expected to analyze and evaluate several key issues. These include the Lee government’s definition of enemy, the transfer of wartime operational control, efforts to restore the September 19 military agreement, and the new U.S. defense strategy (NDS 2026) emphasizing alliance modernization and strategic flexibility.
The document will likely also address the South Korean military’s response and strategies regarding the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, particularly in light of recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
On February 18, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated that in collaboration with our military authorities, it will proactively review and promote the restoration of the September 19 military agreement to prevent accidental clashes and build military trust. The Ministry of National Defense is currently considering reinstating parts of the agreement, including establishing a no-fly zone in the demilitarized zone (DMZ), in consultation with the Unification Ministry, other relevant agencies, and the U.S.
The definition of enemy in the white paper has fluctuated with each transition between progressive and conservative administrations. Some analysts predict that the Lee administration’s first white paper, which has expressed commitment to restoring the September 19 military agreement, may revise the previous administration’s classification of North Korea as the enemy.
The 2022 Defense White Paper, the first and last under the Yoon administration, explicitly stated that the North Korean regime and its military are the enemies. This assessment considered North Korea’s strategy against the South, its designation of South Korea as an enemy, continued enhancement of nuclear capabilities, and ongoing military threats and provocations. It marked the first time in six years that a South Korean defense white paper identified the North Korean regime and military as enemies, following the 2016 white paper under the Park Geun-hye administration.
In contrast, the previous Moon Jae-in administration’s 2018 Defense White Paper avoided the phrase North Korea is the enemy. Instead, it stated that the military considers forces that threaten and infringe upon the sovereignty, territory, citizens, and property of the Republic of Korea as the enemies, thus adopting a broader definition. The Ministry of National Defense explained that this encompassed not only threats from North Korea but also potential threats, transnational, and non-military security risks.
However, the first defense white paper under the Moon administration emphasized that North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction pose a threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The military will support efforts for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of enduring peace while thoroughly preparing for all contingencies.
