Armed Forces of Korea
The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (ROKAF) are responsible
for protecting the sovreignty of South Korea. Considered
one the of the largest standing armed forces in the world,
the South Korea's military must also defend the demilitarized
zone (DMZ)
that buffers the country from North Korea.
The country currently administers a program of self-defense
- a plan that would see it capable of countering any threat
from North Korea using domestic armed forces in fifteen years.
In addition to defending South Korea, ROK armed forces conduct
humanitarian and disaster-relief efforts in the country. They
have also participated in international peacekeeping missions
across Africa, East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Republic of Korea Army
The ROK Army (ROKA) is the fourth largest army in
the world, and by far the largest military branch.
Its size is a product of the heavily mountainous terrain as
well as the looming presence of over 1 million North Korean
regulars garrisoned along the frontline of the DMZ.
The ROKA consist of three armies: the Army Headquarters,
the Aviation Command, and the Special Warfare Command.
There are also several separate operational and functional
command units. Recently, the government of South Korea has
been making every effort to improve the quality of the barrack-life
environment. The government is ready to spend approximately
14 billion dollars to improve barracks, including military
gear and army
lockers, and on education, health and environmental programs,
as well as other facilities.
Republic of Korea Navy
The ROK Navy is responsible for protecting South Korean
sea lines and defending its territorial waters. In
times of war, the ROKN must prevent enemy naval activities
and be able to carry out surprise amphibious landing missions.
The ROKN consists three commands: the Navy Headquarters,
Operations Command, and Marine Corps Command. There are
also separate commands for naval aviation, amphibious operations,
and logistics.
In 1995, South Korea announced it would be creating a "strategic
mobile fleet". This new fleet comes after repeated submarine
intrusions by North Korea. The ROKN felt that faster
vessels and more sophisticated technology would deter future
provocations. The Navy started modernizing its submarine
fleet and naval aviation operations, and established Mobile
Flotillas. It hopes to have a "blue-ocean navy"
operating by 2020.
Republic of Korea Marine Corps
The ROK Marine Corps is a semi-autonomous force of
the Navy that operates much of its functions independently.
This special force executes amphibious landing operations,
but can also provide support in ground battles, special combat
scenarios, facility protection and security services.
Republic of Korea Air Force
The ROK Air Force (ROKAF) is a modern air force with
over 600 American-made combat fighters. Their mission
is to acquire air superiority and provide close support for
ground and naval forces in times of war. In peacetime, they
maintain a constant state of high combat readiness that allows
for immediate retaliation should North Korea launch provocations.
The ROK Air Force also operates the Theater Air Control
Centre – a network of reconnaissance aircraft and
radar sites that monitor areas in and around South Korean
airspace for potentially hostile aircraft. This facility is
expected to provide air controllers more time to assess threats
and the ability to quickly scramble interceptor aircraft and
surface-to-air missile sites.
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