President Lee Jae Myung’s recent remarks on South Korea’s defense posture have ignited debate across the country’s political spectrum, just as international experts gathered in Jeju City to address mounting maritime security challenges in East Asia. As the nation prepares for delicate negotiations with Washington and ongoing tensions in the region, questions about the best path forward for South Korea’s security have taken center stage.
On September 19, 2025, President Lee addressed a youth forum in Mapo District, western Seoul, where he emphasized the importance of self-reliant defense. But it was his Facebook post two days later, on September 21, that truly set off a firestorm of discussion. Titled “Opening the path to strong self-reliant defense,” Lee’s post criticized what he called the “submissive mindset” of those who believe South Korea cannot defend itself without foreign—specifically U.S.—troops.
“Wars determined by the number of standing troops are a thing of the past,” President Lee wrote, as reported by the Korea JoongAng Daily. “We must build comprehensive national strength, including economic and cultural power, expand the defense budget, restructure into a high-morale, smart and strong military, nurture the defense industry, and strengthen security diplomacy to secure multilateral security cooperation. This is how we will become a nation that will never again be invaded and will not have to depend on others.”
Lee’s argument was bolstered by a series of statistics intended to highlight South Korea’s relative strength. “Korea’s annual defense budget is about 1.4 times North Korea’s entire GDP. Our military ranks fifth globally. Our economy is dozens of times larger than the North’s, and our population is more than twice as large. Yet despite such military, defense and national strength, some still hold the submissive mindset that self-reliant defense is impossible without foreign troops,” he stated.
These comments landed at a particularly sensitive moment, with Seoul and Washington engaged in parallel negotiations on both security and trade. The timing and tone of Lee’s statement, especially the phrase “submissive mindset,” drew immediate and sharp responses from political opponents and security experts alike.
Rep. Sung Il-jong of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, was quick to counter Lee’s claims. On his own Facebook page, Sung acknowledged South Korea’s formidable military but cautioned that the North’s nuclear arsenal changes the equation entirely. “Our armed forces, as the president said, overwhelmingly surpass North Korea’s in almost every respect,” Sung wrote. “But North Korea has nuclear weapons, an asymmetrical capability that changes everything. Can we deter the North’s nuclear weapons without the Korea-U.S. alliance?”
Sung pressed further, questioning the practical value of economic and conventional military superiority in the face of nuclear threats. “What use are economic power and superior conventional weapons in the face of nuclear arms? The phrase ‘self-reliant defense’ may sound good, but it is emotional and insensitive to the reality that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons. It is difficult to accept today’s statement as the view of a commander in chief. Korea’s prosperity has been built on the Korea-U.S. alliance, and it must remain centered on that alliance in the future.”
Amid the heated debate, a presidential office official sought to clarify Lee’s intent. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, the official stated, “This reflects President Lee’s long-held view on self-reliant defense. It was not aimed at any particular country, but rather meant that the military should be restructured smartly.”
President Lee’s stance is not a new development. Back in August 2022, as a first-term lawmaker, he pressed then-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup during a National Assembly defense committee briefing, asking pointedly, “Do you still believe that without U.S. forces we would be defeated by North Korea’s military?” When the minister replied, “If you include nuclear weapons, it must be taken seriously,” Lee countered, “Nuclear weapons must be excluded. Are you saying conventional equipment must be increased to match nuclear weapons? Korea’s combat readiness is already sufficient to handle the North. Self-reliant defense is possible without relying on foreign troops.”
While this national conversation unfolded, another crucial dialogue was taking place in Jeju City. From September 18 to 20, the ninth Ieodo International Seminar convened at Hotel The One, drawing together maritime security experts from Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Hosted by the Society of Ieodo Research—a Jeju-based think tank founded in 2007—and co-organized by The Korea Times, the three-day seminar tackled the theme “New Strategic Responses to Maritime Security Threats in East Asia.”
The agenda was ambitious: participants addressed China’s so-called “gray-zone” tactics, ongoing territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas, and the prospects for legal remedies and multilateral cooperation. The gathering’s location was no accident. Ieodo, internationally known as Socotra Rock, sits 149 kilometers south of Mara Island, Korea’s southernmost point, and is at the heart of a territorial dispute between Seoul and Beijing due to overlapping Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).
Koh Choong-suk, chairman of the Society of Ieodo Research, underscored the significance of the event. “The Society of Ieodo Research will continue to work closely with domestic and foreign scholars to convey Korea’s maritime security vision and peace message to academia and the global community,” Koh said, according to The Korea Times. The seminar, he noted, was an opportunity to share Korea’s perspective with the international community while fostering trust and cooperation in a region rife with historical and strategic tensions.
For South Korea, the timing of these two debates—one about the nation’s land-based defense and alliance strategy, the other about maritime security and multilateral cooperation—could hardly be more pertinent. With North Korea’s nuclear arsenal looming, the U.S. alliance remains a cornerstone of national security policy for many. Yet, President Lee’s call for greater self-reliance and multilateral engagement reflects a growing desire among some leaders and citizens for a more independent and proactive role on the world stage.
The Ieodo seminar’s focus on legal remedies and multilateral cooperation resonates with Lee’s emphasis on “strengthening security diplomacy to secure multilateral security cooperation.” Both highlight a trend toward seeking broader, more flexible solutions to security challenges, rather than relying solely on traditional alliances or military might.
At the same time, the debates underscore the complexities of South Korea’s position. The country boasts a world-class economy, a top-five military ranking, and a growing defense industry. Yet, its proximity to North Korea and the unpredictability of regional powers like China mean that security remains a delicate balancing act—one that requires both strength and savvy diplomacy.
As President Lee departs for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, his words and the discussions in Jeju City will likely echo far beyond Korea’s borders. The choices South Korea makes in the coming months—about alliances, defense spending, and regional cooperation—will shape not only its own future but also the broader security landscape of East Asia.
In this moment of reflection and debate, South Korea stands at a crossroads, weighing the lessons of its past alliances against the possibilities of a more self-reliant and multilateral future. The outcome will depend not just on leaders’ rhetoric, but on the nation’s ability to adapt, innovate, and build trust at home and abroad.