Defense Minister nominee Kim Yong-hyun attends his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Defense Minister nominee Kim Yong-hyun rebuked speculations that his appointment is part of a broader government plan to declare martial law, a claim raised by the opposition bloc, Monday.

During Kim's confirmation hearing, members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) focused on concerns that his nomination, as a retired three-star Army general, might be part of a strategy by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to tighten control over the military.

Some lawmakers suggested that this could lead to martial law being declared to suppress public protests, especially as the president faces growing political challenges.

DPK Rep. Park Sun-won pointed out that with Kim's appointment, several key military positions have been filled with figures who have personal connections to President Yoon Suk Yeol, all of whom graduated from the same high school. He suggested that these key military figures could play a critical role in imposing martial law in a contingency.

Yoon and Kim attended Chungam High School, with Kim being one year senior. Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung, the defense counterintelligence commander, also graduated from the same school.

Kim dismissed these speculations, stating, "I do not agree. In the past, there have been cases where the defense minister and defense counterintelligence commander were from the same high school."

Some other DPK lawmakers expressed concerns about the timing of Kim's appointment, which comes just one month ahead of an upcoming reshuffle of the nation's military leadership slated for October. DPK Rep. Choo Mi-ae speculated that Kim might use his position to appoint his loyalists to key military roles.

In response to further attacks from the liberal lawmakers, Kim said, "Confirmation hearings are not a place for false propaganda based on misinformation."

On policy matters, the defense chief nominee reiterated his hawkish stance on North Korea and did not rule out the possibility of South Korea acquiring nuclear weapons as a potential response to escalating threats from the North.

"It could be one of the options," Kim said in response to a query about the nuclear option.

Before and after his nomination in August, Kim expressed openness to "all means" of responding to North Korea's nuclear threats, although he emphasized that the alliance with the United States and extended deterrence remain the standard strategy.

This position could be seen as diverging from the stance of current Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, who recently stated in a foreign media interview that South Korea acquiring its own nuclear weapons might "rupture its alliance with the U.S. and shock financial markets."

The presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul / Yonhap

A significant portion of Kim's confirmation hearing was also dedicated to scrutinizing his role in relocating the presidential office.

Kim, who served as the inaugural presidential security chief for the Yoon administration, led the effort to move the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the Ministry of National Defense compound in central Seoul's Yongsan District.

The project was criticized for being hasty and costly, with many questioning the necessity of the president moving out from the venue that had housed previous leaders for over seven decades.

DPK Rep. Boo Seung-chan, a former spokesperson for the defense ministry, criticized the relocation process, claiming it was carried out in a hasty manner and did not adhere to related laws when allocating an additional budget for the project.

In response, Kim stated, "The relocation of the presidential office was to move away from the power of authoritarianism. The president kept his promise to the people and returned Cheong Wa Dae to the public. I don't think this is something to be criticized."

Once appointed, Kim will succeed Defense Minister Shin, who was named national security adviser in a surprise reshuffle in August. Shin currently holds both roles.