Republic of Korea Armed Forces
대한민국 국군
South Korea
Air Force
South Korea
Land Force
South Korea
Naval Forces
Republic of Korea Air Force
대한민국 공군
The Republic of Korea Air Force, also known as the ROK Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea.
Organization:
Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters
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Air Force Operations Command
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Air Combat Command
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1st Fighter Wing, based at Gwangju (F-5E/F)
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8th Fighter Wing, based at Wonju (FA-50)
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10th Fighter Wing, based at Suwon (KF-5E/F, F-4E)
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11th Fighter Wing, based at Daegu (F-15K)
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16th Fighter Wing, based at Yecheon (TA-50)
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17th Fighter Wing, based at Cheongju (F-35A)
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18th Fighter Wing, based at Gangneung (KF-5E/F)
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19th Fighter Wing, based at Chungju (KF-16)
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20th Fighter Wing, based at Seosan (KF-16)
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38th Fighter Group, based at Gunsan (KF-16)
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Air Mobility & Reconnaissance Command
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3rd Flying Training Wing, based at Sacheon
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5th Air Mobility Wing, based at Gimhae
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15th Special Missions Wing, based at Seongnam
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The ROKAF Air Defence Artillery Command transferred from the Republic of Korea Army's air defense artillery and was established as a basic branch on 1 July 1991. Following the establishment of the ROKAF Air Defence Artillery Command as a separate service in 1991, the army began to develop further its own air defense artillery assets (short range SAM, SPAAG and man-portable air-defense systems) in support of ground operations.
Equipment
Mobile Surface-to-air Missile/Anti-ballistic Missile System
Republic of Korea Army
대한민국 육군
The Republic of Korea Army also known as the ROK Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 495,000 members as of 2014. This size is maintained through conscription; South Korean men must complete 21 months of military service between the age of 18 and 35. The army will take the brunt of the personnel reduction planned as part of the Defense Reform 307. Associated with this personnel reduction would be a significant reduction in the ROK Army force structure, in particular decreasing the current force of 47 divisions (active duty/reserve) and 495,000 soldiers down to a force of about 38 divisions (active duty/reserve) and 400,000 soldiers.
Equipment
The Republic of Korea Navy, also known as the ROK Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization. Established in 1945, the ROK Navy is the oldest branch of the South Korean armed forces. Since the end of the Korean War, the South Korean navy has concentrated its efforts to building naval forces to counteract the North Korean navy, which has littoral naval capabilities. As South Korea's economy grew, the ROK Navy was able to build larger and better equipped fleets to deter aggression, to protect national maritime rights and to support the nation's foreign policy. As a part of its mission, the ROK Navy has engaged in several peacekeeping operations since the turn of the 21st century. As of 2016, the ROK Navy has about 70,000 regular personnel including 29,000 Republic of Korea Marines. In addition, there are about 160 commissioned ships in service with the ROK Navy, including about 10 submarines, 110 surface combatants and patrol vessels, 10 amphibious warfare ships, 10 mine warfare ships, and 20 auxiliary ships (a total displacement of about 211,000 tonnes). The naval aviation force consists of about 70 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The ROK Marine Corps has about 500 tracked vehicles including self-propelled artillery. The ROK Navy aims to become a blue-water navy by 2020.
Republic of Korea Navy
대한민국 해군
Equipment
The Republic of Korea Armed Forces, also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of 3,305,000 in 2020 (555,000 active and 2,750,000 reserve). South Korea has the world's tenth-largest budget and the ROK Armed Forces are ranked as the sixth most powerful military as of 2020, and 2021. The Republic of Korea Armed Forces were founded in 1948, following the establishment of the South Korean government after Korea's liberation from the Empire of Japan. South Korea's military forces are responsible for maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, and also engage in peacekeeping operations and humanitarian, disaster-relief efforts worldwide.
Command over the ROK Armed Forces is established in the Constitution. The President is the Commander-in-Chief Forces ex officio. The military authority runs from the President to the Minister of National Defense, who is often to be (but not legally bound to be) a retired four-star general. The President and Minister of National Defense are in charge of the entire military establishment, maintaining civilian control of the military. The Minister of National Defense, by order of the President, takes charge of military affairs, and supervises the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chief of staff of each service of the Armed Forces.
To coordinate military strategy with political affairs, the President has a National Security Council headed by the National Security Advisor.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff consists of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the military service chiefs from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Unlike the U.S. counterpart, operational command of combat units falls within the purview of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who reports to the Minister of National Defense.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a four-star general or admiral, is the senior officer of the Armed Forces. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff assists the Minister of National Defense with regard to operational command authority, and supervises the combat units of each service of the Armed Forces, by order of the Minister of National Defense. The chain of operational control runs straight from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the commandants of the Army, Navy, and Air Force operational commands. The respective chiefs of staff of each service branch (Army, Navy, and Air Force) has administrative control over his or her own service.
The ROK Armed Forces consists of the ROK Army, ROK Navy, and ROK Air Force. The ROK Marine Corps functions as a branch of the Navy. The ROK Reserve Forces is a reserve component.