Tag: ROK military

Drones are now an extremely important part of modern warfare and the ROK military is planning to purchase some of the most combat proven systems:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects what the North claims to be suicide drones at the Drone Institute of the Academy of Defence Sciences, Aug. 24, in this photo released by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency two days later. Yonhap

The South Korean military is set to purchase Polish loitering munitions within this year, a move experts believe will significantly bolster the nation’s ability to counter North Korea’s purported suicide drones. The Polish drones, proven effective on the battlefield in Ukraine against Russian forces, could be a game changer in airborne warfare, analysts said.

According to military sources, Tuesday, the Ministry of National Defense recently submitted a request to acquire military drones to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which is now preparing to announce the bid.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

Fighter aircraft is the latest defense industry that ROK defense contractors are hoping to take market share of:

South Korea, an industrial and tech powerhouse, was once so poor that its citizens donated money so the government could buy five American fighter jets in case of a North Korean invasion. Now, South Korea is a global weapons producer and seller. It is the third-largest arms supplier to NATO countries, with affordable weapons for nations seeking to refill their stockpiles of K2 battle tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers and other items.

Its ascent underscores the nation’s dramatic economic and diplomatic evolution since that 1975 national fundraising drive for the American F-4 Phantoms. South Korea retired those Cold War-era jets in June after more than five decades in use — making way for a new generation of homegrown fighter aircraft that will make South Korea one of the few nations to develop its own supersonic jet.

South Korea hopes its KF-21 Boramae will be a cheaper alternative to the U.S.-made F-35. The prototype was unveiled in 2021, and mass production is set to begin in 2026. “South Korea is making a big push to engage globally,” said Peter Layton, a military analyst and visiting fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute in Brisbane, Australia. “They’re going from a big buyer to not just a maker but a designer of aircraft.”

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

The very politically charged death of a Marine that died last year from drowning during a botched rescue attempt, has led to charges against multiple officers:

In this file photo, Lee Yong-min, former commander of the Marine Corps’ 7th battalion, pays his respect on June 13, 2024, at the tomb of a Marine conscript who died during a search for missing downpour victims last year. (Yonhap)

Police decided Monday not to charge a Marine division commander accused of responsibility in last year’s death of a young solider during a search operation for flood victims, only referring six other officers to the prosecution for indictment.

The result of the politically sensitive investigation came a year after the then 20-year-old Marine conscript, surnamed Chae, was swept away by a torrent during a search for missing downpour victims in the southeastern county of Yecheon on July 19 last year. He was found dead half a day later. 

The death sparked national outrage over initial findings that conscripts, including Chae, were mobilized for the risky search mission to comb through a swollen, torrential and muddy stream without proper safety gear, such as life jackets or ropes, resulting in Chae’s death.

On Monday, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency in Andong, near Yecheon, announced that it has decided to forward six military field commanders, including the commander of Chae’s battalion and another battalion chief, to the prosecution on charges of professional negligence resulting in death.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but the political aspect of this case occurred when the Marine Corps division commander tried to allegedlly cover up the investigation. The claims are that the division commander was covering up on behalf of President Yoon. This interference is being investigated separately.

South Korea has another domestically developed defense system that not only upgrades their own defense, but can serve as an export as well:

South Korea has completed development of the homegrown Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM) system, the state arms procurement agency said Saturday, marking a major step in efforts to bolster the military’s air defense capabilities.

The L-SAM, which is designed to shoot down incoming targets at altitudes of 50-60 kilometers, was recently assessed as combat-suitable as it met the military’s technical requirements, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

With the completion of its development, the L-SAM is expected to begin production next year and be deployed for operations by 2028.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This sounds like a way for the Korean government to reduce Apple’s marketshare in Korea by imposing this ban because any smartphone is a possible recording device not just Apple phones:

South Korea’s military is considering a comprehensive ban on iPhones in military buildings due to increasing concerns about possible leaks of sensitive information through voice recordings, according to multiple military sources on Tuesday.

The sources, a group of ranking officers who wished to speak on condition of anonymity, said that the Air Force headquarters released an internal announcement on the military’s intranet server on April 11, instructing a complete prohibition on any device capable of voice recording and which do not permit third-party apps to control inherent functions, effective June 1, with “iPhones” cited as items subject to the ban.

According to the document, the decision to ban iPhones in the military came from joint meetings held by the headquarters of the Army, Navy and Air Force, located at Gyeryongdae in South Chungcheong Province.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

With such short mandatory service times in Korea there is not much training V is going to receive to make him a very effective special operator. I wonder if he volunteered for this unit or the ROK military put him in it for publicity reasons?:

Photos of K-pop supergroup BTS member V in the gear of a counter-terrorism unit have been unveiled, a Facebook page on the South Korean military showed Thursday.

Images of V wearing pitch black Special Duty Team (SDT) attire were released Wednesday on the page, which serves as an anonymous bulletin board for military service members.

V enlisted in the military last December for his mandatory service and was accepted to join the military police during boot camp training, according to the Army.

The BTS member has since been assigned to the SDT, which focuses on counter-terrorism and other special operations, under the Army’s 2nd Corps.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

In response to North Korea’s recent provocations the ROK military is showcasing its homegrown missile defense system for the first time to the public:

It marked the first time the Air Force has unveiled the battalion’s drill involving the Cheongung-II to the press, although its specific name and location remains undisclosed to the public.

Integral to South Korea’s multilayered missile defense system, the Cheongung-II operates at a mid-tier altitude, complementing the U.S. missile shield. Lockheed Martin’s Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles defend against low-tier threats at altitudes of 20 km, and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) intercepts upper-tier threats at altitudes of 40-150 km. 

The unit is located within an hour’s drive from Seongju County, which is located about 160 km southeast of Seoul and is home to the THAAD system deployed in 2017. 

While the Cheongung-II is designed to counter ballistic missile threats and hostile aircraft, its capability of targeting cruise missiles has drawn new attention amid Pyongyang’s recent spate of cruise missile tests. 

“The Cheongung-II represents an advanced homegrown technology in countering both aircraft and ballistic missiles. Our training ensures that our forces are prepared to respond immediately, strongly and until the end,” Park said. 

The upgraded M-SAM Block-II comprises four mobile launchers, each loaded with eight missiles, enabling simultaneous engagement of up to 32 interceptors.

A multifunction radar is positioned atop a hill for uninterrupted 360-degree airspace surveillance, remotely sending signals to an engagement control center.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.