[ROK MND News Catch up] [May 9-13] Korea and U.S. marines discuss joint operations /

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Recent News (May 9 to 13) of the Ministry of National Defense, ROK
http://www.mnd.go.kr/mndEng_2009/WhatsNew/RecentNews/index.jsp
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NO. 766
Korea and U.S. marines discuss joint operations
May 13, 2011


South Korean and the United States marines showed strong will to counteract against North Korean provocations during tactics discussion held in Baengnyeong Island near the inter-Korean maritime border on Yellow Sea.

Marine officers from South Korea and the U.S. discuss on May 12 military matters regarding joint drills aimed at defending western islands on Yellow Sea during tactics discussion session held on Baengnyeong Island.

Marine officers from South Korea and U.S. held tactics discussion for two days since May 11 and exchanged views toward major matters related to joint military drills and the wartime operational control transfer.

On the Korean side, senior officers, including operations planning officer under the Marine Corps, and on the U.S. side Col. Thomas Ward and Lt. Col. Turner Larry under the U.S. Pacific Marine Corps Command joined the discussion.

Two countries discussed about schedule plan for joint drill on western islands and reviewed overall conditions of soldiers' lodging facilities and terrain at training field that U.S. marines are going to use.

Two agreed to regularly hold tour sessions for U.S. marines coming to South Korea for drills.

In addition, two sides discussed preparations and measures for strengthening joint exercises in the Ulchi Freedom Guardian, a joint command and control simulation exercise between South Korea and U.S.

"Western islands are strategic locations where North Korea and provoke any time," said a South Korean marine officer who took part in the discussion. "South Korean and U.S. marines will become a role model of defending any military attacks immediately on site with strong joint operations."

Col Ward said that, "It is the first time South Korean and U.S. marines jointly hold tactics discussion on western islands since the end of the [1950-53] Korean War. South Korea and U.S. will cooperate closely so that the North would never make provocations like the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island."
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No. 765
Mungyeong will host Military World Games in 2015
2011-05-16 17:24

May 13, 2011

The location for the 6th Military World Games, a multi-sport event for military athletes that is held every four years, has been decided to be held in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang, in 2015.

The International Military Sports Council (CISM), the event's organizer, held its 66th general meeting at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel on May 12 and made decision to open the event at Mungyeong in 2015. After the decision is made, Col. Kalkaba, the head of CISM, and Kim Il-saeng, the head of the Office of Personnel and Welfare at the South Korea's Defense Ministry, signed a written agreement.

South Korea had submitted it bid to hold the event exclusively at CISM's board meeting in Algeria on March this year. The organizer of the event gave the final approval in Seoul for Mungyeong to be the next venue for the event.

The Defense Ministry received its approval for a bid effort to hold the event from the Finance Ministry on August last year. The Defense Ministry had planned to select six cities, including Mungyeong, in North Gyeongsang, for the event.

The Military World Games, in which only active-duty military personnel can participate, is designed to boost friendship through sports and contribute in building world peace.
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No. 764
KATUSA's medical record to be transferred to Korean Army
2011-05-16 17:17

May 12, 2011

The Korean Army is going to take over medical records of Korean soldiers under the United States Army, a.k.a Korean Augmentation Troops to the U.S. Army (KATUSA), in Korea from the U.S. Army. From next month, KATUSA reserves will be able to check their medical records easily.

Korean Army's Records Center said that the center and U.S. 65th Medical Brigade signed a written agreement on May 6 agreeing to transfer KATUSA's medical records saved in U.S. Army to Korean Army.

The agreement was made as two sides shared common grounds to exchange medical information quickly in case people need those records as references in civil complaints.

Even though KATUSA is clearly a Korean troops, medical records of KATUSAs have been managed by U.S. Army hospital so far and they are kept in the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) after KATUSAs are discharged from the service.

KATUSA reserves have to go through complex process before being authorized to see their own medical records, such as apply for the records online on NARA web site and receive records via mail after long days. Korean and U.S. Army agreed to ease such inconvenience.

Under the agreement, Korean Army's Records Center is scheduled to take over medical records of KATUSA reserves who were discharged after January 2008 beginning next month. Also active-duty KATUSA troops can receive their own records within a month from Republic of Korean Army Support Group after being discharged. Reserves can only call Korean Army's Records Center to see their records and receive them right away.

"Through this agreement, we were able to settle civil complaints related to medical records of KATUSA reserves," said Col. Yun Yong-ki, head of Korean Records Center of the Army. "We will keep on discovering civil matters that should be improved."
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No. 763
Overseas dispatch train center being built

May 11, 2011

International Peace Support Force under the Korea's Army Special Warfare Command has completed on May 4 building a center to train troops ahead of being dispatched overseas.

The commander of the Speical Warfare Command, officers from the Capital Defense Command and officials from the Defense Ministry took part in the completion ceremony. The third contingent of Ashena Unit, organized to safeguard about 300 Provincial Reconstruction Team helping Afghanistan civilians, will first take advantage of the center next month before being deployed to the war-torn country.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the three-floor center took place in September 2009. The cost of construction was about 10.5 billion won.

The first floor will play a role of commanding post with a command control room and a seminar room. The second and the third floor has a rest room and other amenities from trainees.
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No. 762
Destroyer Yi Sun-shin takes over anti-piracy mission
2011-05-16 17:16
May 9, 2011

The Navy destroyer Yi Sun-shin, the 7th contingent of anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit in Somali waters, began its mission on May 6 after destroyer Choi Young handed over the baton, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Korea said.

Destroyer Chungmugong Yi Sun-shin, right, and destroyer Choi Young anchors at Salalah port in Oman to shift mission.


Destroyer Yi Sun-shin left Busan naval base on April 5. It had stopped by ports in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates to hold anti-piracy operations intelligence exchange meetings. The destroyer also implemented supplies transportation mission for Akh Unit, Korean special forces unit deployed to UAE to train local forces. Yi Sun-shin arrived at Salalah port in Oman on May 4 to prepare for mission shift from Choi Young.

Some 300 crew members, including UDT/SEAL troops and marines, are on aboard of Yi Sun-shin. Also one anti-submarine Lynx helicopter aimed at searching pirates boats from long distance is on board.

With a support from the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime affairs, in particular, Yi Sun-shin has installed a monitoring system to trace the location of Korean commercial ships around the clock and set up bullet-proof glass around Rigid Inflatable Boats.

In order to strengthen medical service capabilities, medical staffs specializing in surgeries and anesthesia are also added on board.

The 4,400-ton destroyer Yi Sun-shin, which is being deployed for anti-piracy mission in Somali waters for the second time since 2009, has brother sailors Senior Chief Petty Officer Park Chang-uk and Chief Petty Officer Sung-hun on board and 72 sailors are on their second mission in Somali waters, JCS said.

"The 7th contingent of Cheonghae Unit has been trained for all possible emergency situation in order to fulfill the mission successfully," said Capt. Han Dong-jin of Yi Sun-shin. "We will protect Korean ships and the people to take a leading role in revealing greatness of Korea and the Navy throughout the world."

In the meantime, the 6th contingent Choi Young is expected to return Korea at the end of this month.