Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

President Yoon, the commander-in-chief of the military, visited the Ground Operations Command for the first time.

He stated, “Peace is secured when we are prepared and ready.”

President Yoon encouraged ROK/US soldiers, calling them "the cornerstone of a combined defense posture.”

On August 21, the third day of the 2024 Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the Combat Operations Headquarters of the Ground Operations Command, where he encouraged Korean and U.S. soldiers.

Provided by the Office of the President

"The North Korean regime is the most irrational group in the world and can stage provocations at any time," Yoon said. "Only the robust military readiness of our forces can prevent them from making miscalculations."

President Yoon made this remark while visiting the Combat Operations Headquarters of the Ground Operations Command on the afternoon of the third day of the 2024 UFS exercise. He inspected the military’s readiness and the training exercise, and encouraged the ROK/U.S. soldiers participating in the operation.

"All troops must be equipped with the conviction that they will surely protect the lives and property of our people and defend liberal democracy," he said. "We must make it clear to the North Korean regime, which harbors dreams of reunification by force and is constantly eyeing the Republic of Korea, that any invasion will lead to its regime's end."

He said, "The UFS exercise is essential for achieving peace through strength by evaluating our overall war posture and enhancing combined defense readiness. The government has reinforced our preparedness by reviving the UFS exercise, which was suspended for three years. With this being the third exercise this year, we are making the training more systematic."

He added, "To effectively respond to multiple provocations, government ministries must work closely together to establish a comprehensive warfighting posture."

President Yoon also remarked, "ROK/U.S. soldiers dedicated to this exercise are the cornerstone of our combined defense posture and the heart of the ROK-U.S. Alliance," and he expressed special gratitude to the U.S. soldiers.

After posing for a photo with the soldiers, President Yoon emphasized, "Peace is secured by those who prepare for war; there is no such thing as free peace."

President Yoon also visited the Counterfire Warfare Headquarters adjacent to the Combat Operations Headquarters. After receiving a briefing on the military's counterfire warfare system, he stated, "It is crucial to overwhelm North Korea's long-range artillery and missile bases in the early stages of a conflict," emphasizing the need for strong firepower capabilities.

The Ground Operations Command commands and controls approximately 250,000 troops—more than half of the Armed Forces—to deter North Korea’s provocations during peacetime through training, combat preparation, and ground security operations. In wartime, it commands ROK/U.S. ground forces as a combined ground operations component command, making it a key unit for national defense.

Explaining the significance of the president’s visit, the Office of the President noted, "This marks the first time a sitting president, as commander-in-chief of the military, has visited the Ground Operations Command since its establishment in 2019 following the merger of the first and third field army commands. The visit was intended to review the strength of the ROK/U.S. combined defense posture and to assess the outcomes of the UFS exercise."

By Joo-Hyeong, Lee < jataka@dema.mil.kr >

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