Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Korea-U.S. combined division organized in preparation for wartime ... starting mission next year

A Korea-U.S. combined division, combining the U.S. 2nd Division in Korea and Korean mechanized brigade-class unit, has been organized to strengthen the tactical levels of combined defense readiness next year.

The Ministry of National Defense said that the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Choi Yun-hee, and Commander of the U.S. forces in Korea, Curtis Scaparrotti, are planning to organize the Korea-U.S. combined division to enhance the tactical levels of combined defense readiness and it would perform the mission in time of war.

The U.S. 2nd Division in Korea and the Korean mechanized brigade-class unit will take part in this combined division to maintain a solid war footing and make it a complete organization.

For the Korea-U.S. combined division, a Korea-U.S. joint chiefs of staff will be run within the U.S. 2nd Division in times of peace, and Korean staff members will carry out missions there.

In addition, Korean units that will be deployed to the Korea-U.S. combined division will maintain the Korean Army chain of command at their current posts and conduct their duties, but they will also have combined training with the U.S. 2nd Division if necessary.

It is predicted that the commander of the U.S. 2nd Division will be the combined division commander and Korean Brigadier General will be the assistant commander with an equal number serving from among the dozens of Korean and American staff members.

“We will set a mission execution system during the first half of 2015 after further preparation processes such as staffing organization and development of operational plans. Korean staff members who will be organized into the U.S. 2nd Division headquarters and the combined division headquarters have been located in Uijeongbu for now, but they will be relocated to Pyeongtaek as the U.S. 2nd Division is planning to be redeployed,” said an official of the Ministry of National Defence(MND).

He also said, “Our military officers who will be organized into the chiefs of staff can have an opportunity to raise their combined operation capability from the class of junior grade officer. If the combined division is in wartime, it would invigorate a combined training at the tactical echelon under Korea-U.S. staff or brigade-class, so that it can make a contribution to increasing the combined defense posture as well as raising our combined mission capabilities.“

“The combined division serves the combined training and development of combined operational doctrine in peacetime, yet various missions during wartime according to operational plans. The Korean Army is advantageous to the Korean Peninsula’s topography and Korean language. The U.S. Army has a lot of tactical mission experience. So that’s why the combined division is organized to strengthen the combined operation capability by combining both armies’ merits,” added the official.

By Seok-Jong, Lee < seokjong@dema.mil.kr >

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