Republic of Korea Armed Forces 대한민국 국군 (大韓民國 國軍)
Logo of the Ministry of National Defense
Founded	August 15, 1948
Service branches	Republic of Korea Army Republic of Korea Navy Republic of Korea Air Force
Headquarters	Gyeryongdae
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	President Roh Moo-hyun
Minister of National Defense	Kim Jang-soo
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff	General Kim Kwan-jin, ROKA
Manpower
Military age	Mandatory 20 to 30 years of age for male, wartime conscription 18-49 years of age
Conscription	24-28 months depending on the branch
Available for military service	12,483,677 (2005 est.), age 15–49
Fit for military service	10,115,817 (2005 est.), age 15–49
Reaching military age annually	344,943 (2005 est.)
Active personnel	687,000 (ranked 6th)
Reserve personnel	4,500,000
Deployed personnel	2,500
Expenditures
Budget	KRW 24.7 trillion(As of 2007) (Appx USD 25.5 billion)
Percent of GDP	2.5%
Industry
Domestic suppliers	KAI, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha, ROTEM, Doosan Infracore, Hyundai Heavy Industries etc.
Foreign suppliers	Boeing, Lockheed Martin etc.
Related articles
History	Military history of Korea
Ranks	Military ranks of South Korea Comparative military ranks of Korea

The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (Hangul: 대한민국 국군; Hanja: 大韓民國 國軍; Revised Romanization: Dae-han-min-guk Guk-gun) or ROK Armed Forces, is the armed forces of South Korea. Along with the Republic of Korea Reserve Forces (대한민국 향토예비군; 大韓民國 鄕土豫備軍), it consists of the following branches: Image File history File links RoK_MND_logo. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Rokarmymark. ... The Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army, ROKA, hangul: 대한민국 육군; hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍) is by far the largest of the military branches, with over 560,000 members as of 2004. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Republic of Korea Navy (Hangul: 대한민국 í•´êµ°; Hanja: 大韓民國 海軍; Revised Romanization: Daehanminguk Haegun) or ROK Navy (ROKN) is a branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROK Air Force, ROKAF, Hangul: 대한민국 공군, Hanja: 大韓民國 空軍) is the air force of South Korea. ... This is a Korean name; the family name is Roh Roh Moo-hyun (IPA: ) (born September 1, 1946 in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, South Korea) is the President of South Korea. ... The Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army, ROKA, hangul: 대한민국 육군; hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍) is by far the largest of the military branches, with over 560,000 members as of 2004. ... Number of active troops per country This is a list of countries sorted by the total number of active troops where the military manpower of a country is measured by the total amount of active troops within the command of that country. ... Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. ... Samsung Heavy Industries Ningbo Co. ... Hanwha (Korean:한화, Hanja:韓火), formerly known as Hankook Hwayak (Korean: 한국화약, Hanja: 韓國火藥), is one of the largest conglomerates, or chaebol, in Korea. ... Rotem is a South Korean company manufacturing rolling stock, defense products and plant equipment. ... The Doosan Group is a large South Korean industrial and construction conglomerate (chaebol). ... Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Edward Boeing. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... Korea has a long military history going back several thousand years, with an extensive series of wars that involved invasions, civil discord, counter-piracy actions against medieval Japan, the first use of armoured battleships in seabattles, and the devastation of rebellions against the Joseon era Japanese invasions, the forced peace... Military ranks of South Korea refer to the ranks and insignia maintained by the Military of South Korea. ... Comparative military ranks of Korea refer to the ranks and insignia maintained by the three primary military powers on the Korean Peninsula, those being the South Korean military, the armed forces of North Korea, and the military forces of the United States. ... Jamo redirects here. ... Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. ... The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Republic of Korea Homeland Reserve Forces (a. ...

• Republic of Korea Army (대한민국 육군; 大韓民國 陸軍)
• Republic of Korea Navy (대한민국 해군; 大韓民國 海軍)
  • Republic of Korea Marine Corps (대한민국 해병대; 大韓民國 海兵隊)
• Republic of Korea Air Force (대한민국 공군; 大韓民國 空軍)

Created in 1948, following the division of the Korean Peninsula by occupying Soviet and U.S. forces, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces is one of the largest standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of 5,187,000 in 2006 (687,000 active force and 4,500,000 regular reserve).^[1] The Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army, ROKA, hangul: 대한민국 육군; hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍) is by far the largest of the military branches, with over 560,000 members as of 2004. ... The Republic of Korea Navy (Hangul: 대한민국 해군; Hanja: 大韓民國 海軍; Revised Romanization: Daehanminguk Haegun) or ROK Navy (ROKN) is a branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. ... ROKMC crest The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (aka ROK Marine Corps, ROKMC, Korean Hangul: , Hanja: , Revised Romanization: Dae-Han-min-guk Haebyeongdae) is the Marine Corps of the Republic of Korea. ... The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROK Air Force, ROKAF, Hangul: 대한민국 공군, Hanja: 大韓民國 空軍) is the air force of South Korea. ... The Korean peninsula, first divided along the 38th parallel, later along the demarcation line The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japans 35-year occupation of Korea. ... The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. ... Soviet redirects here. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The ROK military forces are responsible for maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic, but often engage in humanitarian and disaster-relief efforts nation wide. More recently the ROK military has began increasing its participation in international affairs, acknowledging its role and responsibility as the tenth economic power in the world in terms of GDP. The ROK military has participated in various peacekeeping operations across Africa, East Timor, and more recently Iraq and Afghanistan. Humanitarianism is the view that all people should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings, and that advancing the well-being of humanity is a noble goal. ... Emergency operations or Emergency preparedness is a set of doctrines to prepare civil society to cope with natural or man-made disasters. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...

History

The South Korean armed forces was a largely rudimentary force until the outbreak of the Korean War. It was heavily damaged by North Korean and Chinese attacks and in the beginning relied almost entirely on American support for weapons, ammunition and technology. During South Korea's period of rapid growth, the military expanded accordingly, benefiting from several government-sponsored technology transfer projects and indigenous defense capability initiatives. Modernization efforts for the ROK military have been in place since the 1980s. The GlobalSecurity.org website states that "in 1990 South Korean industries provided about 70 percent of the weapons, ammunition, communications and other types of equipment, vehicles, clothing, and other supplies needed by the military." Today, the South Korean armed forces enjoys of a good mix of avant-garde as well as older conventional weapons. Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia... Modernization (also Modernisation) is a concept in the sphere of social sciences that refers to process in which society goes through industrialization, urbanization and other social changes that completely transforms the lives of individuals. ... A conventional weapon is a weapon that does not incorporate chemical, biological or nuclear payloads. ...

The Republic of Korea has one of the highest defense budgets in the world (though second lowest in East Asia), regularly making the list of top ten (see List of countries by military expenditures). Its capabilities include many sophisticated American and European weapon systems, complemented by a growing and increasingly more advanced indigenous defense manufacturing sector. For example, by taking advantage of the strong local shipbuilding industry, the ROK Navy has embarked on a rigorous modernization plan with ambitions to become a blue-water navy by 2020. East Asia Geographic East Asia. ... Military expenditure by country using CIA World Factbook figures Military spending as a percentage of GDP using CIA World Factbook figures This is a list of countries by military expenditures using the latest information available. ... Ships from seven countries sailing together during the RIMPAC exercise in 2006. ...

South Korea has a joint military partnership with the United States as outlined by the Mutual Defense Treaty signed after the Korean War. During the outbreak of the Vietnam War, South Korean marines were among those fighting alongside the United States. More recently, South Korea also takes part in regional as well as pan-Pacific national military wargames and exercises such as RIMPAC and RSOI. This is a list of treaties to which the United States has been a party or which have had direct relevance to U.S. history. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Aircraft carriers and USS Abraham Lincoln speed towards Honolulu during RIMPAC 2000. ... RSOI, which stands for Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, Integration, is annual command post exercises (CPX) held by United States Forces Korea and conducted with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. ...

Structure

Army

Main article: Republic of Korea Army

The ROK Army (ROKA) is by far the largest of the military branches, with over 560,000 effectives as of 2004. This comes as a response to both the mountainous terrain native to the Korean Peninsula (70% mountainous) as well as the heavy North Korean presence, with its 1 million strong army, two-thirds of which is permanently garrisoned in the frontline near the DMZ. The Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army, ROKA, hangul: 대한민국 육군; hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍) is by far the largest of the military branches, with over 560,000 members as of 2004. ... The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. ... For Panmunjom or Joint Security Area, see Joint Security Area. ...

It should be noted that the current administration has initiated a program of self-defense, whereby South Korea would be able to fully counter the North Korean threat with purely domestic means within the next two decades.

The ROK Army was formerly organized into 3 armies: the First Army (FROKA), Second Army (SROKA), and Third Army (TROKA), each with its own head quarters, corps, and divisions. The Third Army was responsible for the defense of the capital as well as the western section of the DMZ. The First Army was responsible for the defense of the eastern section of the DMZ whereas the SROKA formed the rearguard.

Under a restructuring plan aimed at reducing redundancy, the First and Third Armies have been incorporated into the newly formed Ground Operations Command (GOC), whereas the Second ROK Army has been converted into the Rear Operations Command (ROC).

The army consists of the Army Headquarters, the Aviation Command, and the Special Warfare Command, with 11 corps, 49 divisions, and 19 brigades, some 560,000 troops and estimated 5,350 Tanks/Armored Vehicles, 11,337 Artillery Systems, 7,032 Missile Defense Systems and 13,000 infantry support systems

K1 main battle tank.

Equipment of the ROK Army include the older M48 as well as the more recent K1 and K1A1, which bear a 120 mm smoothbore gun and are of local manufacture. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (900x675, 424 KB) Summary Description: A Korean army K-1 tank. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (900x675, 424 KB) Summary Description: A Korean army K-1 tank. ... The M48 Patton was one of the U.S armys principal main battle tanks of the Cold War, with models in service from the early 1950s to the 1990s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The K1 (or Type 88) is a main battle tank in use with the South Korean ground forces. ...

The future replacement for the K1 MBT has been baptized the XK2 Black Panther (Korean: 흑표), which will be fitted with a 1,500hp Water-cooled Diesel engine, 120 mm / L55 main gun, and coaxial machine guns. The new tank will also feature radar equipment as well as all-bearing LASER detection system and reactive armor comparable to the American M1A2 and French LeClerc. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Republic of Korea Defense Ministry recently revealed prototype for a next-generation main battle tank, namely the XK2, or eXperimental K2, which will be the successor to the K1 series main battle tanks. ... For other uses, see Laser (disambiguation). ... This article or section should include material from Explosive reactive armour Reactive armor or explosive reactive armour (ERA), is a type of armour used primarily on tanks to lessen the damage from explosions caused from missile warheads, exploding shells, grenades, or dropped bombs. ... The M1 Abrams main battle tank is the principal combat tank of the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps and the Australian Army, with three main versions being deployed starting in 1980: the M1, M1A1, and M1A2. ... The gunners position, looking down from the turret roof. ...

In addition South Korea already manufactures the indigenous K-9 Thunder howitzers, which have been exported to Turkey, as well as the K200 series KIFV's which saw action in UN peacekeeping operations as part of the Malaysian peacekeeping forces. A variation of the K200, the KAFV's can be retrofitted to bear a 90 mm barrel or 40 mm grenade turret or M230-1 Chain gun or MK-30 30mm chain gun Turret. The K-9 Thunder is an indigenous South Korean self-propelled 155 mm howitzer developed by Samsung Techwin. ... Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicle K-200 In 1981 the Republic of Korea Army issued a request for proposals for a new Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicle (KIFV). ... KAFV Following an increasing trend of having a powerful armored vehicle of worldwide markets, Daewoo Heavy Industries [DHI] has developed Korean Armored Fighting Vehicle (KAFV) by reinforcing its firing power to the standard KIFV. The KAFV, with its increased firing power and survivability, can be widely operated as an organizational...

The ROK Army also fields the mobile K-SAM Pegasus (Korean:천마), fitted with 8 missiles that fly at maximum speeds of mach 2.6, and the K-30 Biho (Korean:비호) series, which feature a 30 mm twin gun system for self-propelled anti-aerial fire support. K-30 Self-Propelled AA 30mm Twin-Gun System K-30, called BIHO system, is a self-propelled 30 mm twin-gun system which has high kill probability against penetrating low-altitude airborne targets. ...

Besides having vehicles of their own design as well as American models, the ROK Army also has several Russian-built AFVs, including BMP-3 IFVs and T-80U MBTs. Although they are in active service with the Army, most of them were purchased in order to experiment their technology to be fitted with the ROK's XK2 MBT, such as the Explosive Reactive Armor blocks mounted on several Russian armored vehicles. However, the ROK Army is continuing their purchase of Russian equipments, as their recent addition of two BMP-3U IFVs hints. Other notable foreign equipment in service with the ROK Army includes the TOW ATGM launchers and Mistral MANPADS. The BMP-3 is a Russian infantry fighting vehicle which was first introduced 1990. ... The T-80 is a Soviet/Russian/Ukrainian main battle tank. ... M60A1 Patton tank with Israeli Blazer ERA. T-72 battle tank layered with reactive armour bricks Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. ...

Navy

Main article: Republic of Korea Navy

ROKS Munmu the Great (DDH 976) sails in formation at the end of RIMPAC 2006.

The ROK Navy (ROKN) is the armed forces branch responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations.^[2] As a part of its mission, the ROK Navy has engaged in several peacekeeping operations since the turn of the century.^[3] The Republic of Korea Navy (Hangul: 대한민국 해군; Hanja: 大韓民國 海軍; Revised Romanization: Daehanminguk Haegun) or ROK Navy (ROKN) is a branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 501 pixelsFull resolution (2464 × 1542 pixel, file size: 827 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 501 pixelsFull resolution (2464 × 1542 pixel, file size: 827 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Navy Headquarters, Republic of Korea Fleet, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the highest-ranking officer (four-star admiral) of the ROK Navy. ROKMC crest The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (aka ROK Marine Corps, ROKMC, Korean Hangul: , Hanja: , Revised Romanization: Dae-Han-min-guk Haebyeongdae) is the Marine Corps of the Republic of Korea. ...

The ROK Navy had about 68,000 regular personnel including the 25,000 Republic of Korea Marine Corps personnel as of 2006. There are some 170 commissioned ships (total displacement of approx. 141,000 tons^[4] ) in the ROK Navy, including approximately 10 submarines, 75 patrol craft and 20 auxiliaries. The naval aviation forces consist of about 10 fixed-wing and 50 rotary-wing aircraft.^[5]

In 1995, Admiral An Pyongtae, the 20th Chief of Naval Operations, presented the vision of building a "blue ocean navy" for the future of the ROK Navy in his inaugural address.^[6] In 2001, then President Kim Dae-jung announced a plan for building up a Strategic Mobile Fleet.^[7] As a part of "Defense Reform 2020," which was proposed by the Roh Moo-hyun Administration, the ROK Navy is required to reform the organizations under Commander-in-Chief Republic of Korea Fleet (CINCROKFLT) by upgrading a submarine operations command (to fleet submarine force), a naval aviation operations command (to fleet air arm), and by establishing some Mobile Flotillas.^[8] The ROK Navy aims to become a blue-water navy by 2020.^[9] Ships from seven countries sailing together during the RIMPAC exercise in 2006. ... Kim Dae-jung (born December 3, 1925) is a South Korean politician. ... This is a Korean name; the family name is Roh Roh Moo-hyun (IPA: ) (born September 1, 1946 in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, South Korea) is the President of South Korea. ... Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ... Ships from seven countries sailing together during the RIMPAC exercise in 2006. ...

In the first decade of the 21st century, the ROK Navy launched the lead ships of newly developed types: in 2002, ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sunshin (DDH 975), a 4,500-ton destroyer, was launched; in 2005, a new amphibious landing ship, ROKS Dokdo (LPH 6111) was launched; in 2006, the ROK Navy launched the Sohn Won-yil (SS 072), an 1,800-ton Type 214 submarine with Air-Independent propulsion (AIP) system. In 2007, the ROK Navy launched the lead ship (DDG 991) of the King Sejong the Great class destroyer, built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The ROK Navy is undertaking several shipbuilding projects: Korean Destroyer Experimental (KDX) program, Frigate Experimental (FFX), Landing Platform Experimental (LPX), Patrol Killer Experimental (PKX), and Korean Submarine (KSS) program. The Type 214 is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW). ... The Sejong the Great class destroyers (Hangul: 세종대왕급 구축함), also known as KDX-III, are guided missile destroyers for the Republic of Korea Navy by Hyundai Heavy Industries. ... USS Lake Champlain, a Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided missile cruiser, launched in 1987 The Aegis combat system is an integrated missile guidance system used by the United States Navy. ... The AN/SPY-1 is a US naval radar system manufactured by Lockheed Martin. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Dokdo Class Amphibious Ship is an Amphibious assault ship of the South Korean Navy. ... The Patrol Killer eXperimental program is a project intiated by the Republic of Korea Navy to produce advanced patrol crafts possessing Cooperative Engagement Capability and automated weaponry. ... The Korean Attack submarine program is a three-phased project aimed at enhancing ROKNs comparatively weak submarine arsenal. ...

Air Force

Main article: Republic of Korea Air Force

A South Korean F-15K Eagle comes in for fuel from an American KC-135 Stratotanker.

The ROK Air Force (ROKAF) is a modern air force, which fields some 600+ combat aircraft of American design. In contrast, the North Korean Army has roughly 150-300 more aircraft, but mostly obsolete and some ancient types of Soviet and Chinese origin. The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROK Air Force, ROKAF, Hangul: 대한민국 공군, Hanja: 大韓民國 空軍) is the air force of South Korea. ... Image File history File linksMetadata F-15KRefulefromK-135. ... Image File history File linksMetadata F-15KRefulefromK-135. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with military aviation. ... Korean Peoples Army refers to the armed personnel of the Joseph Stalin. ... “CCCP” redirects here. ...

Korea began a program for the development of indigenous jet trainers beginning in 1997. This project eventually culminated in the KAI T-50, dubbed the "Golden Eagle" which is used as a trainer for jet pilots, now being exported to Indonesia. An armed version of the T-50 is the modified A-50, which can be fitted with free-fall or precision missiles such as the AGM-65 Maverick. The T-50 Golden Eagle is a Korean supersonic trainer and light attack aircraft. ... The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile (AGM) designed for close air support. ...

The replacement programs for the T-50 and A-50 are the KTX-2 and F-X, respectively. The latter has been fulfilled by the Boeing F-15K.^[10] The T-50 Golden Eagle is a Korean supersonic trainer and light attack aircraft. ... ... F-15K is an advanced derivative of US Air Forces F-15E Strike Eagle, ordered and being delivered to Republic of Korea Air Force(ROKAF). ...

The South Korean government also announced its plan to develop indigenous helicopter manufacturing capacities to replace the aging UH-1 helicopters, many of which had seen service during the Vietnam War. The program originally included plans for the development of both a civilian and a military helicopter. This was later revised and gave priority to the utility helicopter program. Based on the success and experience of the civilian KMH (Korean Multi-purpose Helicopter) the attack helicopter, which would share a common configuration, will be developed. This article is about the military versions of the Bell 204 and 205 models. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

Marine Corps

Main article: Republic of Korea Marine Corps

Although the National Armed Forces Organisation Act stipulates that the ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, the ROKMC is a semi-autonomous organization that carries out much of its functions independently.^[11] During the Korean War, the ROKMC earned their nickname as "귀신잡는 해병대" (Ghost-Catching Marines).^[12] South Korean Marines are known to be courageous from the Vietnam War, to an extent that some sources say the Viet Cong shunned combat with them. They are taught extensive martial arts. ROKMC crest The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (aka ROK Marine Corps, ROKMC, Korean Hangul: , Hanja: , Revised Romanization: Dae-Han-min-guk Haebyeongdae) is the Marine Corps of the Republic of Korea. ... ROKMC crest The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (aka ROK Marine Corps, ROKMC, Korean Hangul: , Hanja: , Revised Romanization: Dae-Han-min-guk Haebyeongdae) is the Marine Corps of the Republic of Korea. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... A Viet Cong soldier, heavily guarded, awaits interrogation following capture in the attacks on Saigon during the festive Tet holiday period of 1968. ...

The motto of the ROK Marine Corps is "한번 해병은 영원한 해병" (Once a Marine, Always a Marine).

Personnel

See also: Military ranks of South Korea

See also: Comparative military ranks of Korea

Military service is mentioned as one of the Four Constitutional Duties (along with taxes, education, and labor). The current effective Conscription Law, however, applies only to males although women can volunteer as officers. Military service varies according to branch: 22 months for the Army and Marine Corps, 24 months for the Navy and 26 months for the Air Force. Recently, however, there has been significant pressure from the public demanding either a shortening of the term or a switch to voluntary military service. Military ranks of South Korea refer to the ranks and insignia maintained by the Military of South Korea. ... Comparative military ranks of Korea refer to the ranks and insignia maintained by the three primary military powers on the Korean Peninsula, those being the South Korean military, the armed forces of North Korea, and the military forces of the United States. ... The Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army, ROKA, hangul: 대한민국 육군; hanja: 大韓民國 陸軍) is by far the largest of the military branches, with over 560,000 members as of 2004. ... ROKMC crest The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (aka ROK Marine Corps, ROKMC, Korean Hangul: , Hanja: , Revised Romanization: Dae-Han-min-guk Haebyeongdae) is the Marine Corps of the Republic of Korea. ... The Republic of Korea Navy (Hangul: 대한민국 해군; Hanja: 大韓民國 海軍; Revised Romanization: Daehanminguk Haegun) or ROK Navy (ROKN) is a branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. ... The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROK Air Force, ROKAF, Hangul: 대한민국 공군, Hanja: 大韓民國 空軍) is the air force of South Korea. ...

In the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, ranks fall into one of four categories: commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, and enlisted, in decreasing order of authority. Commissioned officer ranks are further subdivided into "Janggwan"-level officers, "Yeonggawan"-level officers, and "Wigwan"-level officers. The "Wonsu" is appointed from the "Daejang" who has distinguished achievements. However, there has been no one holding the rank of "Wonsu" in the history of the ROK Armed Forces. All branches share a common rank-system, with different colors used to denote the different branches (Army: Green & Black, Navy: White & Black, Marine Corps: Red & Yellow, Air Force: Green & Blue).

Note: The English titles are given as comparative examples with the US Army ranks.

Overseas operations

About 2,500 soldiers operate in eight locations around the world as of 2007.^[13]

UN peacekeeping operations

Until now South Korea has successfully participated in UN-sanctioned peacekeeping operations in East Timor, Somalia, Angola, and Western Sahara, as well as serving as Military Observers in the India-Pakistan border and in Georgia. Kashmir (or Cashmere) may refer to: Kashmir region, the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent India, Kashmir conflict, the territorial dispute between India, Pakistan, and the China over the Kashmir region. ...

In September 2006, President Roh Moo-hyun announced that the government of Lebanon had officially asked the Republic of Korea to form part of the UN Peacekeeping Forces about to be deployed in Lebanon following the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese Conflict. Final deployment will be pending on a vote by the Kukhoe (National Assembly). This is a Korean name; the family name is Roh Roh Moo-hyun (IPA: ) (born September 1, 1946 in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, South Korea) is the President of South Korea. ... Combatants Hezbollah Amal LCP  Israel Commanders Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary General of Hezbollah) Imad Mughniyeh (Commander of Hezbollahs armed wing)[5] Dan Halutz (CoS) Moshe Kaplinsky[12] Udi Adam (Regional) Strength 600-1,000 active fighters 3,000-10,000 reservists[6] 30,000 ground troops (plus IAF & ISC)[13... The National Assembly of South Korea is a 299-member unicameral legislature. ...

Peace-keeping operations in Iraq

On August, 2004, the South Korean government dispatched 3,400 soldiers to Iraq following American requests for reinforcements and further fueled by the beheading of South Korean citizen Kim Sun-il by Islamic extremists in Iraq. This force became third in size (surpassed only by the US and UK), after the withdrawal of Spanish forces. South Korea is currently responsible for peace-keeping and reconstruction in the Arbil Governorate, located in the Kurdish Autonomous Region. The peace-keeping troops were named Zaytun Division and Daiman Unit. Zaytun and Daiman respectively mean olive (a symbol of peace) and 'always with you' in Arabic. Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK; Korean: Daehan Minguk (Hangul: 대한 민국; Hanja: 大韓民國)), is a country in East Asia, covering the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. ... Kim Sun-il (September 13, 1970 – June 22, 2004) was a South Korean translator working in Iraq for Gana General Trading Company, a South Korean company under contract to the U.S. military. ... ArbÄ«l (أربيل in Arabic language, Hewlêr in Kurdish , also transliterated as Irbil or Erbil) is one of the governorates of Iraq. ... See also Southern (or Iraqi) Kurdistan The Kurdish Autonomous Region is a political entity established in 1970 following the agreement of an Autonomy Accord between the government of Iraq and leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish community. ... The Zaytun Division is a contingent of Republic of Korea Army troops currently operating in Northern Iraq, carrying out peace-keeping and reconstruction tasks. ... Binomial name L. 19th century illustration The Olive (Olea europaea) is a species of small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean region, from Lebanon and the maritime parts of Asia Minor and northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea. ... “Arabic” redirects here. ...

Reconstruction in Afghanistan

At the request of the United States, about 60 medics from the Dongui Medical Unit (Korean: 동의부대, Hanja: 東醫部隊) and 150 engineers from the Dasan Engineering Unit (Korean: 다산부대, Hanja: 茶山部隊) have been stationed in Afghanistan since 2002 to help with the reconstruction effort.^[14] Among the soldiers stationed in Afghanistan was Yoon Jang-ho, who was the first South Korean soldier killed in action overseas since the Vietnam War. Yoon Jang-ho (Hangul: 윤장호; Hanja: 尹章豪; September 21, 1980 – February 27, 2007) was a sergeant serving as an English translator in Afghanistan as a member of the Dasan Engineering Unit, which is part of the South Korean military. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

Notes

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Edward Boeing. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 109th day of the year (110th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Yonhap news agency is the sole news agency in South Korea that supplies domestic and foreign news and information to newspaper and TV broadcast and other subscribers in South Korea. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• South Korea
• Military of North Korea
• KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to US Army)
• United States Forces Korea (USFK)
• List of military equipment of Republic of Korea

This is a list of Wikipedia articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. ... North Korea now has the fourth-largest military in the world. ... KATUSA stands for Korean Augmentation To the United States Army. ... United States Forces Korea (USFK, Korean: 주한미군, Hanja: 駐韓美軍) refers to the ground, air and naval divisions of the United States Armed Forces stationed in South Korea. ... // M16 Rifle Daewoo K-1A Carbine Daewoo K-2 Assault Rifle Daewoo K-7 Silencer-Mounted SMG South Korean OICW Heckler & Koch MP5 Heckler & Koch MP7 Daewoo K-5 IMI Jericho 941F Tactical Heckler & Koch USP9 Tactical Glock 26 Daewoo K-3 Light Machine Gun K-4 40mm Grenade Launcher...

External links

• Republic of Korea Military Guide (globalsecurity.org)
• Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense (ROKMND) (Korean / English)

• Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) xairforces.com website (English)

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