The military of South Korea is largely considered one of Asia's most powerful standing armed forces. Created in 1948, following the division of the Korean Peninsula by occupying Soviet and U.S. forces, it was a largely rudimentary force at most until the outbreak of the Korean War. It was heavily damaged by North Korean attacks and relied almost entirely on American support for weapons and technology. During South Korea's period of rapid growth, the military expanded to become the strongest in East Asia after China.
Today, the South Korean military in concentrated near the DMZ, as well as the South Korean coastline, Jeju Island, the Korea Strait, and the Tokdo or Liancourt Rocks. It maintains an army stronger and far larger than that of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Its air, land, and sea forces are supplied with high-tech armor, ammunitions, arms, transportation, and communication systems. The ground-based forces also have access to intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are controlled and maintained by the USFK. In recent years, the ground forces have been deployed to defend the Liancourt Rocks, along with an air force division and an impressive naval dispatch, from any Japanese incursion.
Military Overview
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard)
Resources
Equipment:
- Army: medium tanks, reconnaissance vehicles, armored personnel carriers, towed and self-propelled howitzers, mortars, single rocket and multiple rocket launchers, air defense guns, surface-to-surface missiles, antitank missiles, fixed-wing aircraft, attack helicopters, and transport helicopters.
- Navy: diesel submarines, guided missile destroyers, frigates with helicopters, frigates, patrol and coastal combatants, mine warfare ships, amphibious ships, auxiliaries, ground based fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters.
- Air Force: ground attack aircraft, fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, airborne early warning aircraft, transport aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, and air-defense control and warning units.
Military manpower
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (24-28 months mandatory service required, depending on the military branch involved)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,233,895 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,966,241 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 341,697 (2004 est.)
Active troops
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.522 billion (FY03)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.7% (FY03)
Peace-keeping in Iraq
On August, 2004, the South Korean government dispatched 2,800 soldiers to Iraq for peace-keeping and reconstraction in Arbil, Kurdish Autonomous Region. The peace-keeping troops was named Zaytun Division. Zaytun means peace-symbolizing olive in Arabic.
References and Links
Foreign Military Treaty: A joint-security and defence agreement between the USFK (United States Forces Korea) and the South Korean military.
Last updated: 08-25-2005 09:36:02
