Korea seeks 'aggressive' role in any wars on peninsula: ministry
By YonhapPublished : Aug. 28, 2017 - 15:04
South Korea's military said Monday it will push for a paradigm shift in its war concept in order to play an "aggressive" role in resolving armed conflicts on the peninsula.
In a report to President Moon Jae-in for discussions on the reform and future role of the country's armed forces, the Ministry of National Defense presented its own vision.
Among the key tasks is to establish the concept that if a war breaks out on the Korean Peninsula, it will be aggressively staged, according to the ministry.
It reflects the South's pursuit of a leading role in fighting a war in case deterrence fails.
The left-leaning Moon administration is campaigning for the so-called Defense Reform 2.0.
It's to transform the military into a force as "agile and expeditious as a leopard," the ministry said.
It also reaffirmed its determination to root out corruption related to arms development and procurement.
In a report to President Moon Jae-in for discussions on the reform and future role of the country's armed forces, the Ministry of National Defense presented its own vision.
Among the key tasks is to establish the concept that if a war breaks out on the Korean Peninsula, it will be aggressively staged, according to the ministry.
It reflects the South's pursuit of a leading role in fighting a war in case deterrence fails.
The left-leaning Moon administration is campaigning for the so-called Defense Reform 2.0.
It's to transform the military into a force as "agile and expeditious as a leopard," the ministry said.
It also reaffirmed its determination to root out corruption related to arms development and procurement.
![South Korea`s Ministry of National Defense headquarters (Yonhap)](http://res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=640&simg=/content/image/2017/08/28/20170828000764_0.jpg)
Elected in early May, Moon has pledged to regain the wartime operational control of the nation's troops from the US at an early date.
South Korea handed over OPCON to the US-led U.N. forces shortly after the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War.
In the event of another war here, the South's military will be put under the command of a four-star US general who leads the US Forces Korea and the allies' Combined Forces Command.
The South Korean president has made it clear that there shouldn't be any war again on the peninsula.
He knows that deterrence is based on a strong defense.
He has also stressed that Seoul will take the driving seat in handling security affairs related to the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)