South Korean Armed Forces

Main article: South Korea

2024

Agreement to increase the cost of maintaining the US military in the country to $1.13 billion per year

In October 2024, the United States and South Korea signed a new five-year agreement on the distribution of expenses for the maintenance of the US military in South Korea. Under the agreement, South Korea will increase its share of spending to 1.52 trillion won ($1.13 billion) in 2026, up 8.3% from 2024.

In less than two weeks, US presidential candidate Donald Trump has said South Korea will pay billions of dollars more a year for the US military if he returns to the White House, calling the long-time US ally a "cash cow."

Launch of new satellites to spy on the DPRK

South Korea's defense minister in July 2024 announced plans to launch a third reconnaissance satellite to monitor his neighbor.

The launch should take place in November 2024. In addition, South Korea is discussing the deployment of a microsatellite system in orbit, designed to fill the gaps in intelligence activities that may arise when using other surveillance means.

South Korean satellite launches are part of a long-term plan called Project 425. As part of this initiative, it is planned to launch a total of five satellites to more accurately monitor the DPRK.

After the launch of the first reconnaissance satellite in 2023, the DPRK authorities promised to launch three more vehicles into orbit in 2024. However, the first attempt turned out to be a failure - the rocket launched in May exploded.

So far, South Korea is ahead of its neighbor in the number of reconnaissance satellites in orbit.

Ban on Apple devices at military facilities

On April 11, 2024, the headquarters of the South Korean Air Force issued an order completely prohibiting the use of Apple gadgets at military facilities. We are talking, in particular, about iPhone smartphones and Apple Watch smartwatches.

The new rules are dictated by security concerns. The fact is that mobile devices can be used (including secretly) to collect classified information. Smartphones, tablets and smartwatches allow you to make audio recordings of any negotiations, as well as photograph documents. This information may later be in the hands of hostile structures.

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Unsplash

South Korean military institutions use the specialized National Defense Mobile Security application to centrally ensure the security of military personnel's mobile devices. This program makes it possible to deactivate certain functions of gadgets, including a camera, Wi-Fi, cellular communication, data transfer via USB and a voice recorder. However, in the case of the iPhone, the performance of National Defense Mobile Security is limited: on Apple gadgets, the application can only block the camera. Therefore, it was decided to ban the use of smartphones and other Apple devices in military territories.

In general, the ban could affect approximately 500 thousand military personnel, including 365 thousand in the army, almost 70 thousand in the Navy and approximately 65 thousand in the Air Force. At the same time, as noted, the new rules do not apply to mobile devices under control, operating system Android including Samsung Galaxy series gadgets. The fact is that such devices provide full functionality of the National Defense Mobile Security application, and therefore the command can effectively control the operation of equipment, setting the necessary restrictions.^[1]

2023

Defense spending - 2.8% of GDP

Estimating some countries' defense costs as a share of their GDP in 2023

Increase in payments for the maintenance of the US military in the country

South Korea Can't Develop Its Own Nuclear Weapons, Relying on U.S. Defense

In April 2023, it was announced that South Korea would have a say in planning a potential nuclear response USA to the attack North Korea in exchange for not developing its own nuclear weapons.

The agreement will give South Korea's leadership a long-awaited seat at the negotiating table on the use of US nuclear forces to protect the country, although the US will still maintain control over the targeting and conduct of nuclear operations.

As a demonstration of America's willingness to use its nuclear deterrent forces to defend South Korea, the declaration will announce that an American ballistic missile submarine will make an important visit to the country.

Sending ammunition to Ukraine through Germany

On April 15, 2023, another cargo of ammunition was sent to Ukraine from South Korea - only this time by sea. From the port of Jinhe in Busan in the direction of Germany, a transport ship was loaded with shells to Western-style artillery.

According to the Korean channel @ russiannewsinkorean, transport companies provided the transportation of shells from storage depots to the port of Jinhe from March 31 to April 14. Every day, 20 trucks with a carrying capacity of 18 tons transported about 5400 tons of ammunition.

In general, by the time the container ship left Jinhe, when calculating the approximate weight of one shot of 40 kg, from 125 to 130 thousand shells of 155 mm caliber were transported.

The sea route from South Korea to Europe usually runs through the Strait of Malacca, the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal, followed by the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic. On average, depending on the course of the heavy truck, the duration is from 35 to 45 days.

Given this, a transport ship loaded with artillery ammunition will arrive in Germany only by the second half of May.

This delivery looks rather curious against the background of the drain of American secret documents. One of the files there indicated a detailed plan for transporting ammunition from South Korea to Ukraine.

According to these documents, the transfer of shells by sea was supposed to begin in late March - early April with two container ships (on the first it was planned to transport 129 thousand, and on the second - 47 thousand ammunition).

Judging by this data, the merged files specifically for the Republic of Korea are very plausible. And together with the supply of military assistance by air, it turns out that 330 thousand units of 155-mm shots will be transferred from Seoul.

However, in this case, the dates do not quite agree, and in accordance with the drain, the shells should have already been in Ukraine by the end of April. However, there could be a delay, because of which it was necessary to adjust plans.

The transfer of ammunition for Ukraine under the guise of their lease to the United States

The news agency Reuters in April 2923 published an article that the authorities South Korea approved the lease of 500 thousand 155-mm artillery shells of the American army to replenish its reserves.

Earlier, secret documents published on the network said that the leadership of the Republic of Korea faced serious pressure from Western countries due to the refusal to provide direct assistance to Ukraine.

According to a Reuters article, the South Korean government solved this problem in a very original way by leasing artillery shells to the American army, and not to Ukrainian troops.

There are no details on what conditions an agreement was reached. It is unclear whether the Americans can provide the APU shells received from South Korea or not.

Against this background, the activity of Atlas Air transport aircraft has increased over the past few weeks - flights to Rzeszów airbase in Poland are regularly carried out. Atlas Air is an American cargo airline operating air cargo to more than a hundred countries around the world.

At the same time, the main customer is the US Department of Defense. Since the beginning of the special operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, Atlas Air aircraft, along with the command of air transfers of the US Air Force, have been delivering weapons and ammunition to Poland.

What does this process look like? One of the Atlas Air cargo aircraft made several flights on the route from Osan Air Base (Republic of Korea) - Dover/Elmendorf Air Base (USA) - Rzeszów Air Base (Poland).

The 436th Air Transport Wing of the Air Transfer Command of the US Air Force is located in Dover, and it is this base that is the main transshipment point before sending military cargo to Poland.

The South Korean government thus publicly demonstrates its neutrality, not selling weapons to Ukraine directly, but participating in this indirectly, leasing artillery shots.

The lease agreement between the United States and South Korea is an ideal solution for the authorities in Seoul, the Rybar channel wrote. Both Western partners are satisfied, and the South Korean military-industrial complex will earn money, and the country's government is legally not involved.

2022: U.S. military bases. Card

For 2022

2021: Defence spending - 2.78% of GDP

Data for 2021

2017

1983

Negotiations between North and South Korea are held at the table that stands on the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) line, Panmunjom (a village in North Korea), 1983.

1968

South Korean soldiers practice taekwondo at a base in South Vietnam. 1960s.

1955

Korean War veterans display experimental prostheses. South Korea, 1955

1952

A leaflet issued in South Korea and aimed at Chinese soldiers fighting in the Korean War on the side of the North. It depicts the Soviet Union in the form of a wolf devouring the Chinese. An approximate translation reads: "Do you want the Russian wolf to annex China?," 1952.

1904

Former Korean Army General of Joseon Dynasty with Servants, Korean Empire, 1904.

See also

• Russian Armed Forces

Notes