By These are some interesting reforms that were announced:
Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin unveiled a set of sweeping military reform packages Tuesday to enhance the interoperability of the armed forces and increase firepower in response to North Korea’s deadly provocations last year.
The 73-point reform measures call for an early introduction of spy drones and stealth fighters, a structural overhaul in the authority of top commanders and a gradual reduction in general-grade officers to make the Army more efficient.
“The command structure of top military brass will be revamped to improve the interoperability of the armed forces,” Kim told reporters. “Enhancing the interoperability is a barometer of an advanced military.”
The military has been under growing calls to improve the interoperability among the Army, Navy and Air Force to better respond to provocations by North Korea, which torpedoed a South Korean warship in March and bombarded a southern island in November. The two attacks killed a total of 50 South Koreans, including two civilians.
Under the plans, Kim said his ministry will allow the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to take responsibility for managing military personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force. [Yonhap]
You can read more about the reforms at the link. The South Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is actually going to have more power than the US CJCS who plays just an advisory role to the President and Secretary of Defense. This means the CJCS has enormous influence on personnel decisions, but doesn’t have the power to make the personnel decisions on his own like this change will give the ROK military’s CJCS.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has long been trying to reduce the number of General Officers in the military and the ROK government is making a pretty big cut by getting rid of 15% of their GO’s. It was also good to see that the ROK government plans on buying more advanced weaponry that will hopefully further expand their capabilities to defend the country with a smaller amount of US assistance.
10:17 am on March 10th, 2011 1
They should start by reducing each of the First ROK Army, Third ROK Army, and the Second Operations Command CGs to Lieutenant Generals. There is no need for them to be four-stars.
12:45 pm on March 10th, 2011 2
The ROK army called for reforms
to be in line with the global norms.
New equipment is great,
but to be truly first-rate,
let the homos in by the swarms.
1:44 pm on March 10th, 2011 3
They need to do something about the hand holding. After our boys with teh ghey* see the ROK soldiers, they'll want to do it too.
*PC DiscLamer: Not that there's anything wrong with that.
CIRCLE JERK possibly NSFW
5:00 pm on March 10th, 2011 4
Maybe your boys should try it and see. It may help in rescuing hostages without causing deaths.
6:13 pm on March 11th, 2011 5
#4 C*ck sucking is a valid defense posture?