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Korea¡¯s military is to become a leaner, fitter fighting machine in the next 15 years. By 2020, the Army's 13 corps could be reduced to six, its 47 division cut by about 20, and total troop strength reduced from 680,000 to about 500,000. Korea's reserve force would be reduced from 3.04 million to 1.5 million. The forces could put more emphasis on volunteers for special forces while paying salaries to soldiers who wish to stay on once they have completed their mandatory military service.
A high-ranking Defense Ministry official said Monday the draft military reform package was reported to President Roh Moo-hyun on Thursday, and the ministry would officially announce its reform plan on Sept. 13 following talks between the ruling party and government and a report to the National Assembly. Under the plan, the First and Third ROK armies¡¯ headquarters would be merged into a single ground operation command, while the headquarters of the Second ROK Army would become a rear area operation command.
The ministry will also talk to the relevant ministries about withdrawing the divisions guarding the front-line iron fence with North Korea and replace them with brigades specially trained for guard duty, while transferring coast guard duty from the military to police. That means that there will have to be changes to a Korea-U.S. joint operation plan dealing with a potential emergency on the Korean Peninsula, and it remains to be seen how the U.S. will react.
The Army is likely to oppose the reform since its numbers are to be slashed from 550,000 to 350,000, especially as generals and other brass are to be drastically reduced. To fill in any gap in fighting strength resulting from the reductions, the Defense Ministry said it wants to set up a guided missile command in charge of missiles and multiple-launch rocket systems, and secure weapons upgrades including better intelligence gathering equipment and precision-strike ordnance.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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