Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Strong Korea-U.S. combined defense preparation…restraining further provocations from the North

Korea-U.S. develop comprehensive strategic alliance…raising the pressure on North Korea

Strengthened defense exchange cooperation with Japan, China Russia, etc, …achieving results at Seoul Defense Dialogue

Improved leading capability of combined defense…contributing to world peace through overseas dispatch

Security is not limited to responsibility of ‘one nation‘ anymore. In this era, a globalization trend which is being more sophisticated day by day in the international systems is also being applied to security area. In line with this trend, the MND has selected international defense cooperation as one of its 4 defense priorities and been dedicated to enhancing the ‘World-wide Korean Army’ status. Not only has it solidified the relationship with the U.S., our largest ally, but has also worked on continuous exchanges and cooperation with surrounding nations which have an influence on the situation around the Korean Peninsula. Through various overseas dispatch activities, we have been letting the world know that we have grown into a ‘giving country’ that contributes to the international community. Let’s look at the development of the Korea-U.S. alliance and the outcomes of the enhanced defense cooperation with foreign countries the MND achieved in this past year.

Strong Korea-U.S. alliance, the power to restrain the North’s provocations

Korea-U.S. alliance that has been continuously nurtured since the 6·25 Korean War is a precious asset that ensures safety around the Korean Peninsula. Our two nations have developed a comprehensive strategic alliance based on a firm military alliance.

Critically, the two countries have restrained the North Korea’s additional provocations by maintaining a strong combined defense posture. To counter North Korea's two nuclear tests and long-range missile launches, the U.S. deployed strategic bombers 11 times including the B-1B and B-52, sending a clear warning message. In particular, the U.S. core strategic weapon F-22 fighter ( Raptor) called ’the king of air battles’, was deployed in the Korean Peninsula in response to the 4th nuclear test last February, raising the military pressure on the North. Beyond these, the U.S. developed nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers 8 times.

There has been stable management of pending issues through close policy cooperation. Taking the 15th Asia Security Council held last June as an opportunity, the MND held ministerial talks with the U.S., and three-way talks between Korea, the U.S. and Japan, as well as operating a ministerial consultative body including the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) and Republic of Korea-United States-Japan Defense Tri-Lateral Talks (DTT). A Defense Technology Strategy & Cooperation Group and Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group were also held as well.

With the inauguration of the Trump administration ahead, the MND has worked hard to ensure the stable management of pending issues by operating a ‘response team focused on U.S. defense policy’.

Cooperation in the area of space and cyber security warfare has also been expanded. Considering the rapidly changing space situation, the MND will set up a high level Tabletop Exercise (TTX), and the Korea-U.S. navies have agreed on promoting scientific technology cooperation in the areas of robotics, autonomous technology, and more.

Carried out wartime operational control handover based on conditions

Condition-based wartime operational control handover is now gradually in progress. The MND is giving shape to this plan and boosting its effectiveness.

The MND has been developing the already-planned wartime operational control handover, while continuing discussions with the U.S. for its systematic promotion of wartime operational control handover. As well, regular evaluations and complementation conducted by a new combined implementation and supervision system are also ongoing.

The MND is promoting phased measures for developing our military’s combined defense leading ability. Last February, it published and distributed an ‘overall promotion plan’ by unit and its detailed promotion road maps, and made it regularized and institutionalized, reflecting major promotional projects for mid/long-term progress-based construction on planning, programing documents.

The establishment and extension of the future command operations command post was completed this month. In addition, Allied Korean Joint Command and Control System (AKJCCS) has been developing its preparations for after we take over the warfare operational control. They obtained the ability for combined and joint operations, C4I (Joint Tactical Data Link) qualification test, in August.

Strengthening peace on the Korean Peninsula and the role of the international community

Efforts to maintain the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula are continuing through defense exchange cooperation with surrounding countries. The General Security of Military Information Agreement, which was concluded with Japan last November, is representative of these efforts. The MND plans to fill the information gaps on North Korea by using the intelligence capabilities of Japan, a country with a higher defense budget than ours and qualitatively and quantitatively superior surveillance and detection assets. Through strategic communication efforts with China and Russia, Korea has been trying to induce their participation in the UN sanctions against North Korea and gain support for our policy towards  Communication channels between Korea-China and Korea-Russia have been invigorated for strategic communication and extension of exchange. In addition, the MND has actively attended multilateral security councils including the Asia Security Council, Halifax International Security Forum, etc. to explain our policy regarding North Korea and induce other countries to support us. Korea will expand its role in pending international security issues by co-chairing the Maritime Security subcommittee under ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) from next year to 2020.

The ‘2016 Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD)’ is evaluated as a big achievement, and was the largest-scale event of its kind to date. With delegations and civil security experts from 34 countries and 5 organizations, the 2016 SDD established a firm position as a high-level military multilateral dialogue body held by the MND. Visegrad Group, a central European regional cooperation consisting of the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, as well as 2 African countries, participated in the SDD for the first time. Significantly, the attendance rate among vice minister and assistant deputy minister class officials was greatly increased, and the US revealed that its deputy ministers will be attending the dialogue starting next year, showing the recognition of its importance from the international community.

The MND has evaluated that the SDD contributed to realizing a unified policy towards North Korea, and regarding unification. The group also had an in-depth discussion about global issues including the expansion of UN peacekeeping operations, counter-terrorism information sharing and reinforcement of cooperation for terrorism prevention, and set up a cyber working group meeting, clearly differentiating it from other multilateral security dialogues.

90% of the National Assembly “supports the extension of overseas dispatches.”

Our military has constantly contributed to the international community through overseas dispatch activities. We’ve dispatched 1,100 troops of 4 units; Hanbit, Dongmyeong, Cheonghae and Arc units. It made a contribution to world peace and strengthening our national status. Our PKO unit has been well received by the UN, local military headquarters and host nations, and requested continuous dispatching. And as a good outcome of the mission capability and education system highly appreciated by the UN, the contribution pledge of dispatching engineer corps is being managed as Grade 2 in the structure of the UN’s contribution management pledge.

There is a pioneering effort to pass down Korea's superior PKO ability that is currently ongoing. Conducting PKO sectional conference and FTX under the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus held in Pune, India, last March were representative examples of this. In October, the MND held the PKO sectional conference in Seoul with around 100 experts from 18 member countries. In addition, the international peace activity center continues to give education by inviting Vietnamese PKO instructors.

There have also been various other plans to promote dispatching performance. The MND produced booklets and videos to post on social network services (SNS) as well as animations for foreigners to be released in January next year. Celebrating the Armed Forces Day, the family of Warrant officer Lee Hong-ju, Army Special Warfare Command, the 3-generation dispatching family, catching people’s eye, threw the first pitch at Seoul Jamsil stadium on October 1. Meanwhile, the fact that the support rate for the extension of the dispatching period of each unit exceeded 90% is considered as the result of such active efforts.

By Su-Yeol, Maeng < guns13@dema.mil.kr >
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