• President Lee names Ret. Gen. Kang Shin-chul as defense minister nominee.
• Kang is a retired four-star general and former deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command.
• The nomination comes as the government prepares for the transfer of wartime operational control and a contested plan to merge military academies.

This nomination may indicate the government's desire for a steady hand in managing contentious defense reforms, which could suggest a shift towards greater military influence in the ministry. The appointment of a career soldier may also signal a retreat from the administration's earlier attempt to put a noncareerist in charge.