A blueprint for the future of the South Korean military has been finalized. Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Tae-young unveiled a revised version of “Defense Reform 2020” on June 26. The modifications came four years after the plan was initially introduced under the previous Roh Moo-hyun government in 2005. The updated plan was drafted in consideration of changes in the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and South Korea’s economic conditions. The reform plans are focused on strengthening the military’s firepower, while reducing its troop size. Also, the targeted defense budget has been lowered to 466 billion dollars from the 483 billion dollars estimated in 2005. Here’s Yonhap News Agency reporter Jang Yong-hun to explain the key points of the revised reform plan.

The master plan stipulates how to manage the Defense Ministry, with its goal set for 2020. Most importantly, the plan is focused on how to block and deter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, as seen in the North’s recent long-range rocket launch and its second nuclear test. Under the revised plan, the South Korean military is equipped with a system to counter North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction. In addition to national defense, the military’s duty is expanding to maintain world peace. To reflect the changing role of the military, South Korea will organize a standing unit of 3,000 soldiers to be deployed to help peacekeeping operations around the world.

The most notable change in the new national defense plan is that South Korea has greatly strengthened military readiness to foil North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. For example, the Defense Ministry seeks to secure the military capability to conduct precision strikes against North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction before they’re launched, including ballistic missiles. The ministry’s counter-plan is subdivided into four steps—surveillance and reconnaissance, precision strike, interception and some protection measures.

The surveillance and reconnaissance abilities are used to detect any signs of North Korea’s nuclear or missile attacks. To reinforce these abilities, South Korean forces will mobilize a multipurpose practical satellite, Arirang-2, which is currently operating above the Korean Peninsula as well as a high-altitude, unmanned spy plane called Global Hawk to be introduced in 2015 or 2016. They will also use other reconnaissance planes in operation, such as the Geumgang and the Baekdu, and advanced radar systems capable of giving early warning for imminent ballistic missile launches. The exact type of early warning radar will likely be decided around the year’s end. The military will also strengthen its capability of precision-guided strikes. For instance, F-15K fighter jets loaded with joint air-to-surface standoff missiles will attack North Korean missile bases and vehicles with a mobile launching pad. The Aegis destroyers’ ship-to-air missiles and the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 will be used to intercept North Korean missiles capable of entering Earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of 100 kilometers. The military is also considering building a protection system aimed at preventing electromagnetic damage that could result from missiles loaded with nuclear warheads, if the military fails to intercept them.

It’s the first time the defense reform plan has stipulated the possibility of taking pre-emptive strikes against North Korea’s nuclear and missile facilities in case of emergency. This reflects the South Korean military’s firm resolution to strongly cope with the North’s possible aggression. By 2020, the Defense Ministry plans to streamline the military by cutting the current 18-hundred military units across the nation down to 850, and will reduce the number of troops to 510-thousand from the current 650-thousand. In a move to boost defense against North Korea’s provocation in the capital area, the army will maintain four mobilization divisions with 4,000 soldiers in that area in peacetime. Also, the role of the Capital Defense Command will be expanded to take charge of the country’s frontline defense. In brief, the Defense Ministry seeks to increase combat capability through the efficient realignment and operation of the military. Experts give mixed evaluations on the revised set of defense reforms: some call them a streamlined, pragmatic reform plan, while others criticize them as anachronistic.

Proponents of the new national defense plan say it is a well-organized scheme, with its main focus placed on combat readiness to prepare for North Korea’s possible provocation. In contrast, those who criticize the plan note that the reform measures are centered on the army, despite the fact that modern warfare is more about the navy and the air force. That is, the military is concentrating more on the development of ground weapons systems than on air and naval ones. Critics point out that the potential for navy and the air force warfare was overlooked.

Meanwhile, some experts say that neighboring countries, including China, could interpret South Korea’s counterstrike measures as a move to join the U.S.-led Missile Defense system. The Defense Ministry says it is considering introducing ship-to-air interceptor missiles, such as the Standard Missile-3, for its Aegis destroyers, and surface-to-air interceptor missiles, known as Patriot Advanced Capability-3.And the possession of these missiles might be regarded as the first step toward South Korea’s participation in the MD system. Therefore, experts stress the need for a more careful examination of the plan.

Of course, South Korea claims its advanced weapons systems are aimed at North Korea. But China and Russia will be highly sensitive about the possibility that South Korea’s missile interceptor systems may target the two countries. So, if South Korea is equipped with the missile defense system and the interceptor weapons system, it may possibly cause opposition from China and Russia and subsequently make the Korean Peninsula an arena for a struggle among world powers. For that reason, apart from the Defense ministry’s reform drive, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry needs to explain the nation’s prospective weapons systems to China and Russia and convince them.

Amid this rapidly-changing security environment, it’s important for the South Korean military to initiate reforms to reflect various unexpected factors in a flexible way. In addition to the Defense Ministry’s efforts to upgrade combat capability, security concerns should also be addressed at the level of diplomacy, in consideration of neighboring countries.


[Interview] Dentist Provides Volunteer Service at Hanawon
In the initial stage, we had to treat these people outside the facility because it had no medical equipment whatsoever. We used to put the people on a bus and bring them to nearby hospitals or dental clinics regularly, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays. Of course, there were limitations in treating patients like that. Compared to the past, the rehabilitation center has grown significantly, and its facilities have been updated. Many more people are working there. I realize everything has improved little by little over the last ten years. I find my volunteer service rewarding, but I feel I have to do it anyway. It’s my duty. I’ll continue to work as best as I can.

This is dentist Eom In-seok, who has been volunteering to provide medical service at Hanawon, a resettlement center for North Korean defectors, for the past ten years. He’s busy treating patients in his own dental clinic, but he never fails to visit a branch of Hanawon in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, on the third Sunday of every month. Hanawon was established in July of 1999. After hearing about the rehabilitation center from a missionary of the Dental Mission for Christ, Dr. Eom began his volunteer work there in January of 2000. At the time, there weren’t enough facilities at Hanawon, so he used to carry various kinds of medical tools and materials in his car to visit there. And people often called his car a “running dental clinic.”

I used to load my car with all sorts of dental instruments, such as a scaler, suction tips, a dental chair and lighting devices. When I assembled the tools in my car, it would turn into a small clinic. Even in remote places, patients were able to get dental treatment in my car, as long as electricity was provided. That was why people called my car a “running clinic.”

According to Dr. Eom, North Korean defectors have very serious oral health problems. Many of them are now missing back teeth because their dental problems went untreated. Front teeth are also commonly damaged in the course of escaping North Korea. And remaining teeth often turn black, indicating poor oral conditions overall. Toothbrushes aren’t distributed properly in North Korea, and many of the defectors who come to Dr. Eom are visiting a dentist for the first time in their life. Dr. Eom gives the patients detailed explanations of their symptoms and instructs them on how to care for their teeth properly after completing the training course at Hanawon. Thanks to Dr. Eom’s thoughtful consideration and sincere treatment, many of his North Korean patients have been able to overcome their pain and smile again, showing white, healthy teeth. When asked about the most difficult part of his volunteer service, the dentist cites an insufficient budget and meager personnel. Currently, members of the Yollin(Open) Dental Society are volunteering to work at Hanawon, and public health doctors are available on site. Still, the present facilities and working staff aren’t enough to deal with the ever-increasing number of North Korean defectors. Dr. Eom also stresses the need to continue to show interest in the newcomers and to provide them with consistent training, in order to help them properly adjust to their new life in South Korean society.

It’s necessary to provide lifelong education to North Korean newcomers. They should be given opportunities to receive training and counseling whenever necessary. Even if the defectors manage to assimilate to a new environment here, their children may face other problems. I think we need to continue to help them recharge themselves through education, even if we cannot entirely feed them. I’d say South Korean society is developing by helping the newcomers enjoy such social benefits and not keeping them isolated from society any more.