Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo emphasized the early buildup of a “strong military force” to militarily back up peace and prosperity in the Republic of Korea by pushing forward with Defense Reform 2.0. On the unhindered entry of a North Korean fishing boat into Samcheok Port on June 15th, Jeong called on the military to tighten its operational and work discipline and take every measure to prevent recurrence. 

“Regarding the North Korean fishing boat incident, we all should take it very seriously. We should investigate our surveillance operation situation carefully, and at the same time should figure out what went wrong in the current surveillance operation system and force the employment area to carry out timely correction. I will put a special emphasis on tightening our operational and work discipline to ensure a complete and robust readiness posture,” Minister Jeong emphasized at a key commanders’ meeting for the first half of this year, held at the Ministry of National Defense on the morning of June 19th. 

The meeting was presided over by Minister Jeong and was attended by some 150 people, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Park Han-ki, Army Chief of Staff Suh Wook, Chief of Naval Operations Sim Seung-seob, Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-choul, Commander of the Marine Corps Lee Seung-do, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration Ki Chan-soo, and Vice Minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration Han Myung-jin. 

The meeting started with a military readiness posture review and was followed by an investigation on pushing forward with Defense Reform 2.0 and smart defense innovation based on the fourth industrial revolution, as well as a discussion on tightening military discipline and establishing a stronger safety culture. 

The attendants formed a consensus on the main pending defense-related issues, such as maintaining a robust defense posture, pushing forward with Defense Reform 2.0, and tightening military discipline and establishing a strong culture of safety. They also pledged to make every effort to build up “strong military forces to build peace in cooperation with the people,” based on the people’s trust by thoroughly preparing for an upcoming Republic of Korea-U.S. combined exercise, maintaining preparedness for weather-related disasters in summer and strictly tightening security discipline.

Regarding the military readiness posture, they assessed that North Korea is focused on strengthening its internal solidarity and pressuring Republic of Korea and the U.S. to change their attitude while implementing the Sept. 19 inter-Korea military agreement. Regarding the regional security environment, the ministry considers that each country strengthens its military power through military reform and buildup of war potential amid continuous strategic conflicts and cooperative relations among countries. 

They also assessed that the need to improve the protection of people’s rights and interests and support efficient defense management has increased, and pledged to pay more attention to defense policies, such as Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement and wartime OPCON transfer. 

Accordingly, the commanders vowed to enhance their combined surveillance posture and risk management capability based on close Republic of Korea-U.S. cooperation, and to stably manage the military situation in implementing the Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement while maintaining a prompt reaction posture against full range of threats. In addition, they vowed to strengthen the ability to react to growing potential threats and supranational and nonmilitary threats, and to establish a strong national defense cyber security capability and a public-private-military-police integrated defense posture. 

With respect to the Defense Reform 2.0 project, the commanders assessed that the military continues to maintain the driving force for early buildup of strong military forces to militarily back up the peace and prosperity of the Republic of Korea, while pushing forward with the Defense Reform 2.0 project, approved this January, in earnest. 

“We have launched out into military structure reform to increase our proactive defense capabilities, such as developing military strategies and concepts for future joint operations in preparation for a full range of threats and changes in the battlefield environment, and restructuring our 31 troops, including the foundation of a ground operations command,” the ministry explained. 

“Practical plans to strengthen military capabilities, such as the substantiation of reserve military strength, expansion of the personnel skilled in cyber security, expansion of training for scientific movement, and expansion of our cutting-edge military strength system, are being pushed forward. All the commanders in attendance agreed that the military is being transformed into a developed military by increasing the number of female soldiers, allowing soldiers to use a mobile phone and go out on weekdays and shortening the mandatory military service period,” the ministry added. 

Regarding the “active use of science and technology in the era of the fourth industrial revolution,” which was adopted as one of three bases to push forward with the Defense Reform 2.0 project, the commanders assessed that a separate division has been formed to establish a strategic and comprehensive plan and strengthen the driving force. 

The division that has been tasked with pushing forward with the fourth industrial revolution and smart defense innovation is a fourth revolution control tower for the defense area, which is under direct control of the minister. The division consists of three innovation teams handling defense management, technology and infrastructure, and military strength system. The division’s members include some 30 manager-level personnel from the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and associated government-funded research institutes. 

The division has chosen eight tasks and some 60 basic projects spanning three innovation areas; defense management, technology and infrastructure, military strength system. The projects are reflected and promoted in the next year’s budget and medium-term plan. Later this year, the division will establish a comprehensive plan that includes a specific roadmap for the promotion of basic projects and a medium and long term development plan. 

At the Wednesday meeting, various opinions were presented on approaches to establishing military discipline and a culture of safety. 

“During the discussion, the commanders analyzed the cause of the incident and shared ideas on what the military needs now to build up safe and healthy military forces that harmonize the priorities of freedom and responsibility. They strongly agreed that they should depart from complacent attitudes and ways of thinking as a top priority to establish a safe and healthy military force that meets the people’s needs, and that commanders should take the lead in establishing the right sense of value and culture,” according to the Ministry of National Defense. 

“We should always remember that our highest mission is to protect the people’s lives and safety. The optimum conditions for change and development are not given naturally, but are things we must create ourselves,” Minister Jeong said, “Now is the time for us to do this, as we are moving forward for a peace on the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of new strong military forces. Let’s lead the changing times with continuous efforts.” 

Before the meeting, a hologram performance titled “Fourth Industrial Revolution and Future Smart Defense Innovation” was held at the ministry’s main auditorium. Hosted by magician Lee Jun-heong, the performance explained the fourth industrial revolution through holographic videos and illusions, and delivered a message that we should integrate the fourth industrial revolution technology into the defense area.

By Byeong-No, Yun <trylover@dema.mil.kr >

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