Category: ROK Military

I think this whole OPCON issue, just like the US-ROK cost sharing talks are all linked back to whatever the final outcome of the US and North Korea denuclearization talks are. Depending how that plays out the OPCON and cost sharing talks will get worked out as well:

 South Korea’s defense chief on Thursday said the coming year will be a starting point for the test of the country’s ability to command its own troops in the event of a war.
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo made the remark as he presided over a meeting to assess the preparations for the transfer of wartime operational control from the United States.
South Korea handed over operational control of its troops to the U.S.-led U.N. command during the Korean War. It retook peacetime OPCON in 1994, but wartime OPCON remains in the hands of the United States.

Yonhap

Here is what South Korea’s new defense minister had to say to his top general officers:

Presiding over a year-end meeting with more than 140 top commanders nationwide, the minister cited two pillars of the government’s security strategy: peace and strong defense capability.

The US is not yet knowing the Fact that ROK former men in uniform including Gen. Paik Sun-yup are currently opposing the Pro-NK Moon Admin, More than 500 of former Generals gathered at War Memorial and oppose the Inter-Korea Mil agreement! #ROKUS #USFK https://t.co/sMFoSZWR1X

— Dong Yon Kim/김동연 기자 (@dongyonews) November 26, 2018

While I was serving in the ROK Army, I heard quite a few conscripts say that if a war broke out, the first thing they'd do is kill the NCOs and then go home. I served less than 15km away from the DMZ.

It didn't help to build a lot of confidence. https://t.co/1UtDtHH7Kr

— John Lee (The Korean Foreigner) (@koreanforeigner) November 20, 2018

There have been many ROK soldiers that have committed suicide serving on the DMZ, all evidence seems to point to this being the case once again:

In light of rumors about the death of a South Korean solider in a heavily fortified cross-border region last week, the military suggested that the death was an apparent suicide unrelated to the North Korean military.

In light of rumors about the death of a South Korean solider in the heavily fortified inter-Korean border region last week, the military has suggested the death was an apparent suicide unrelated to the North Korean military.

According to the Army, a 21-year-old private first class was found dead Friday at a guard post in the eastern section of the Demilitarized Zone. The soldier’s body was found hours after he was sent for night duty to monitor thermal observation devices installed along the DMZ.

On Sunday, the Army said security cameras showed the soldier had walked alone into a restroom after receiving live ammunition at the gate to the guard post. The soldier’s smartphone also showed records of searches for the term “suicide,” the Army added.

“Only one rifle and an empty shell were found inside the restroom,” the Army said in a text message to reporters, suggesting there was no evidence of forced entry or an attack by outsiders.  [Korea Herald via a reader tip]

You can read more at the link.

It looks like there is going to be a surge of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Korea after this court ruling:

South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that moral scruples and religious beliefs are valid reasons to refuse compulsory military service, a landmark change in the court’s decades-long stance on conscientious objection and one that’s expected to impact the fate of over 900 men.

Thursday’s verdict concerned only one defendant, a 34-year-old Jehovah’s Witness named Oh Seung-heon. In a nine to four vote, the full bench ordered an appellate court to retry his case, effectively clearing him of charges that he violated the Military Service Act.  (…….)

Conscientious objection has long been a subject of public debate in South Korea.

More than 19,000 conscientious objectors were criminally punished under South Korean law since the 1950s, mostly serving 18 months in jail. A majority of those objectors were Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian sect that bases its refusal to serve in the military on Isaiah 2:4, a part of which reads, “Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

South Korea’s Supreme Court said Thursday that it “violates the practice of tolerance towards minorities, a spirit of free democracy, to uniformly force the implementation of mandatory military service and criminally charge those who fail to fulfill.” In that sense, the court continued, conscientious objection falls into the category of a “valid reason” not to comply with the military’s call for enlistment.  [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read more at the link, but the Jehovah’s Witness defendant did say he is willing to do mandatory civilian service.  I wonder if there is a religious reason not to be part of the riot police?

It was a common sight to see ROK Army units ruck marching across the terrain north of Seoul, but it appears it may be coming to an end according to Dr. Tara O writing for the East Asia Research Center:

The Republic of Korea (ROK) Army plans to supply all its infantry, down to the squad level, with wheeled combat vehicles, including Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), according to YTN’s article titled “Army to Supply Armored Vehicles to Infantry…Will Ruck Marches Disappear?”  (……)

There are some positive aspects of incorporating new technology on the battlefield.  There is also room for combining mechanized infantry with light infantry.  Previous commanders have probably thought hard about the right force mix, if hostilities were ever renewed.

Even if new analysis suggested a need for a change in force mix, converting all light infantry units, which is the majority (65%) of the infantry in the ROK Army, into heavy, mechanized infantry units is problematic.  The main element that has been ignored is the terrain of the Korean Peninsula.  [East Asia Research Center]

You can read more at the link, but if this moves forward I agree with Dr. O that this a major strategic security concern to not have hardened light infantry units trained to fight in Korea’s mountainous terrain.  The way things are going I would not be surprised if in the coming years the Moon administration tries to do away with the mandatory service requirement because “peace” has been declared with North Korea.

This looks like quite a concert to celebrate the ROK military’s 70th anniversary:

The South Korean military traded ballistic missiles for glowsticks and peace talk as K-pop stars helped celebrate the country’s 70th Armed Forces Day.

A ceremony Monday at the Korean War Memorial just south of the U.S. military’s Yongsan Garrison in Seoul marked the anniversary of South Korean forces crossing the 38th parallel during the 1950-53 conflict.

The event stood in stark contrast to last year’s ceremony, during which South Korean leaders spoke of nuclear deterrence and unveiled the Hyunmoo-2C — a ballistic missile with the range to hit anything in North Korea.

“Today, I am overwhelmed with excitement as I am able to discuss an era of peace,” South Korean President Moon Jae-in said at the ceremony, according to a translation of his remarks. “Now is the time for our military to stand at the forefront of peace on the Korean Peninsula,” he added. “Peace through strength is the mission of our armed forces.”  [Stars & Stripes]

You can read more at the link.

This ruling to me goes against good order and discipline in the ROK armed forces.  It makes me wonder if a cadet in a US military academy could do the same thing?:

The Supreme Court struck down a decision by a military academy to expel one of its cadets for unauthorized drinking, saying the academy’s code of conduct is too restrictive.

The ruling is expected to lead to sweeping changes in the so-called three bans that the military academies in South Korea have in their codes of conduct for cadets: prohibiting drinking, smoking and marriage.

The cadet, identified by his surname Kim, filed the suit after the Korea Army Academy expelled him in November 2015 for drinking a bottle of soju with friends in November 2014 and several shots of soju during a family dinner in April 2015.

The academy’s code of conduct bans drinking except when it is preapproved and unavoidable.  [Yonhap]

Here's an idea. Either make the SKorean military an all-volunteer force or keep the current system but don't exempt anyone. That was easy. https://t.co/1m9knKW58n

— John Lee (The Korean Foreigner) (@koreanforeigner) September 4, 2018