# South Korea integrated military academy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-korea-unified-military-academy > Updated: 2026-08-06T20:35:26.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 4. In mid‑July 2026 the South Korean government and the ruling Democratic Party announced a plan to merge the Army, Navy and Air Force academies into a single four‑year National Military Academy at the Jaun‑dae site in Daejeon. The proposal, presented by Defence Minister Ahn Gyu‑back and party leader Han Byung‑do, projected a campus of more than 6,000 cadets, faculty and staff and a curriculum that would be common for the first two years before branching into service‑specific training. The Defence Committee chair, Jin Seong‑jun, said the enabling law would be passed by year‑end, allowing the first intake in March 2028. Public hearings and a detailed implementation plan were scheduled for October. Opposition parties, notably the People Power Party, criticised the overhaul as politically driven and insufficiently consulted. The government’s approval of the academy raised a legal dispute: higher‑education regulations require admission plans to be published at least 1 year and 10 months before entry, a deadline that would have been early 2026 for a 2028 intake. The Ministry of National Defense argues the academy’s own law may exempt it from that rule, but the issue remains under review. On 6 August, President Lee Jae‑myung framed the merger as a safeguard against future coups, citing past military coups involving graduates of the Army Academy. Critics countered that the move could be retaliation for a recent emergency decree targeting the Army Academy’s alumni and warned it might erode branch‑specific expertise. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-06: South Korea moves to merge army, navy and air force academies amid coup controversy South Korea plans to merge its three service academies, with President Lee citing coup prevention, while critics see it as political retaliation against the Army Academy’s influence. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korea-moves-to-merge-army-navy-and-air-force-academies-amid-coup-controversy ### 2026-07-20: South Korea's Integrated Military Academy Faces 2028 Admission Timing and Legal Controversy South Korea will open a four‑year integrated National Military Academy in Daejeon with its first class slated for 2028, but the proposed admission year may violate the higher‑education law’s pre‑announcement 要求 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-koreas-integrated-military-academy-faces-2028-admission-timing-and-legal-controversy ### 2026-07-17: South Korea to establish integrated military academy by 2028 South Korea will merge its three service academies into a single four‑year institution, aiming for legislation by year‑end and first cadets in March 2028, amid opposition criticism. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korea-to-establish-integrated-military-academy-by-2028 ### 2026-07-15: South Korea to create integrated military academy in Daejeon South Korea will merge its Army, Navy and Air Force academies into a single four‑year institution at Daejeon's Jaun‑dae, aiming to boost defense education and local economy, amid political and alumni opposition 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korea-plans-integrated-fouryear-military-academy-at-daejeon-jaune-dae --- Cite as: South Korea integrated military academy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-korea-unified-military-academy