Seoul: Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back was set to hold a meeting Wednesday with the leaders of the alumni groups of the Army, Navy, and Air Force military academies and seek their support for the government's ongoing push to integrate the three academies into a single institution, the defense ministry said.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn will meet with the presidents of the alumni associations of the Korea Military Academy, Republic of Korea Naval Academy, and the Republic of Korea Air Force Academy at the defense ministry compound in Seoul later in the day. This meeting follows a significant rally by the alumni groups protesting the integration plan and urging the government to pause and reassess the proposal.

The Lee Jae Myung government has stated that the integration plan aims to consolidate talented future cadets in light of a demographic decline and to enhance responsiveness to evolving warfare. However, the initiative for the proposed "National Military Academy" has encountered strong resistance from the armed forces, which argue that each military service requires training specific to their unique operational environments.

Kim Hong-cheol, deputy defense minister for policy, has mentioned that the ministry is considering using profits from selling idle land during the relocation process, along with state funds, to finance the new military academy. The estimated total cost of the project is over 3 trillion won (US$2.1 billion), as discussed in an interview with local media.

The ministry plans to conduct a public hearing later this month and present a detailed plan for the new academy around October.