A Study on the Armed Forces and Military

Strategy for a Unified Korea*

18)

Jinpyo Yoon / Sungshin Womens University

ABSTRACT
This study is executed to provide a design of the military integration for a unified
Korea. The achievement of a unified Korea involves two dimensions. The first
dimension is about the strategy toward the unification. The second dimension covers
the appropriate model for a unified state. While the first concerns the process of
unifying the North and the South, the second is related to the integration design that
a unified Korea should have. This study starts from explaining the current situation
of the military capabilities and the strategies of the two Koreas. After examining the
process of military integration, this study suggests a desirable military strategy for a
unified Korea and provides size of the armed forces for a unified Korea with force
structure and deployment of the armed forces.
This study can help two Koreas take proper measures to advance toward
unification and integration. A unified Korea should play the role of the mediator in
Northeast Asian security environment. As a middle power country, Korea should
concentrate on increasing national resilience in terms of defense policy and military
strategy. For achieving military strategy that is compared to scorpion strategy, Korea
should make every effort to construct integrated and technology-intensive combat
capability. Considering the features of modern warfare and security environment
surrounding the Korean peninsula, the troops of a unified Korea is suggested to be
built around 360,000 which consist of 240,000 ground force, 60,000 naval force and
60,000 air force equipped with highly developed weapons system.
Key Words: Unified Korea, Military Integration, Armed Forces, Military Strategy,
Weapons System
* This work was supported by the Sungshin Womens University Research Grant of 2004.

384 23 2

. Introduction
Korean people consider the unification as a vital component of the national interest since
the divided Korean peninsula should be restored into a national community.1) Korea was a
nation for more than a millennium and constituted the strong political entity for more than
five centuries on the Korean peninsula. The division of Korea was forced upon the Koreans
against their will after the World War . Therefore the divided two Koreas are the historical
anomaly. For the recovery of one nation, the unification is not only crucial, but also urgently
required. Due to the historical particularity, the accomplishment of the unification must be
regarded as the third national interest of Korea with security and prosperity.2)
Korean national interest is to safeguard the national security, enhance the
prosperity, and accomplish the unification. In order to achieve the national interest,
Korean defense policy should be designed effectively combining the military policy
and the military strategy. Besides deterring and repelling security threats, Korean
defense policy should be made to prepare for the unification of the Korean
peninsula. It must have far-reaching perspective to include the military integration
considering the strategic situation after the unification. The defense policy for a
unified Korea should be prepared with the military integration measures.
The achievement of a unified Korea involves two dimensions. The first dimension is about
strategy toward the unification. The second dimension covers appropriate models for a unified
state. While the first concerns the process of unifying the North and the South, the second is
related to the integration design that a unified Korea should have. Any studies on the process
1) Young Jeh Kim, New Directions for a Unified Korea in the 21st Century, Korea
Observer, Vol.31 No.1 (Spring 2000), pp.17-21.
2) Because of Korean homogeneity and unification over the last millennium, it is more
precise that we call it reunification if we unify the divided two Koreas since the World
War . However, Id like to call it unification simply for the convenience of
understanding. The main points of interest regarding the unification process are as
follows; 1. Creation of conditions favorable to unification by improving relations with
neighboring powers of the two Koreas, 2. Various approaches to unification, 3. Ways
of reducing tension in the Korean peninsula, 4. Inter-Korean exchange and cooperation,
5. Change and reforms, political and economic, in the North and the South. Cited
from Sharif M. Shuja, The Politics of Unification: Korea-A Case Study, Korea
Observer Vol.29 No.2 (Summer 1998), p.309.

Jinpyo Yoon 385

in the absence of the goal are like the navigation without the compass. That is why we have
to study the unification and the integration at the same time. The unification is a process that
unites divided political systems into a single body. On the other hand the integration is a
scheme to settle down explicit or implicit problems derived from the differences.3)
Comparing the studies of process toward the unification, questions of the integration for a
unified Korea have not been examined actively until now. While the outcomes on the
economic integration have published, researchers have little concerns on the military
integration whose significance is no less than that of the economic integration.4) In changing
security environment in the 21st century, this study is executed to provide a design of the
military integration for a unified Korea as an important step to prepare for the successful
unification. The study of the military integration of South and North Korea would help us
pass through the troubled water toward the peaceful unification. I begin to discuss current
situation of the military strength and the strategy of the two Koreas. Then I will deal with
the military integration in which I suggest a desirable military strategy along with the size of
the armed forces for a unified Korea.

. Military Strength of South and North Korea

After the military confrontation for over five decades, the armed forces of North
Korea are ranked the 5th in the world, whereas South Korea maintains the 10th armed
forces. North Korea has 1,170,000 troops with the population of 24 millions in 2000.
South Korea has 690,000 troops with the population of 45 millions. North Korean
3) Gahb-chol Kim, A Model for a Reunified Korea: Political Unification and National
Reintegration, Korea Observer, Vol.26 No.1 (Spring 1995), pp.23-24
4) Brian J. Barna, An Economic Roadmap to Korean Reunification: Pitfalls and Prospects, Asian Survey, Vol.38 No.3 (March 1988), pp.265-290; Young-sun Lee,
Economic Integration of the Korean Peninsula: A Scenario Approach to the Cost of
Reunification, in Sung Yeung Kwack, ed. The Korean Economy at a Crossroad:
Development Prospects, Liberalization, and South-North Economic Integration, (Westport,
Conn.: Praeger, 1994), pp.207-221; and Economic Integration on the Korean
Peninsula: Effects and Implications, in Fred C. Bergsten and Sagong Il, eds.
Korea-United States Cooperation in the New World Order(Washington, D.C.: Institute
for International Economics, 1996), pp.25-46.

386 23 2

armed forces consist of 1,019,000 of army, 48,000 of navy and 103,000 of air force.
On the other hand South Korea has 560,000 of army, 67,000 of navy and 63,000 of
air force. In quantitative respect, the North possesses double the combat capability of
the South, while in qualitative respect the North is estimated to possess about 1.3
times the combat capability of the South.5) In addition to South Korean troops, the
United States maintained 36,000 U.S. troops in Korea consisting of 27,000 troops of
the Second Infantry Division and 9,000 of the Seventh Air Force. In 2004, the U.S.
transferred 6,000 troops of the Second Division to Iraq and agreed with Korean
government to pull out more than 6000 troops until 2008. Considering troops and
weapons system collectively, South Korean armed forces including the U.S. forces in
Korea is evaluated to hold slight balance with North Korean armed forces.6)

<Table 1> Military Capability of South and North Korea

South Korea

Classification
Troops (Thousand)

Unit
Ground
Force
Equipment

1998

2000

1992

1994

1998

2000

655

655

690

690

1,010

1,030

1,160

1,170

11

11

11

11

16

18

20

20

Divisions

49

50

50

49

49

53

62

67

Brigades

16

21

20

19

95

99

113

110

Tanks

1,650

1,950

2,200

2,360

3,700

3,800

3,800

3,800

Armored
Vehicles

1,700

2,100

2,250

2,400

2,500

2,500

2,300

2,300

Field Artillery

4,400

4,600

4,850

5,180

9,800

10,800

12,000

12,500

180

190

170

160

445

434

440

430

50

60

30

20

270

320

510

470

Support Vessels
Submarines

Air
Force

1994

Corps

Combatants
Naval
Force

North Korea

1992

10

25

26

40

50

Tactical Aircrafts

520

520

550

580

850

850

850

870

Support Aircrafts

190

180

180

230

480

480

520

520

Helicopters

580

620

570

600

290

290

320

320

Source: Ministry of National Defense, The Republic of Korea, Defense White Paper (Seoul, Korea, various
issues); IISS, The Military Balance(London, various issues)

5) Young-ho Lee, An Analysis of North Korean Military Capabilities, Strategic Studies,

Vol.4 (1997), pp.177-183.
6) Won K. Paik, National Security of Nuclear Energy: A Peaceful Use in the Korean
Peninsula, Pacific Focus Vol.15 No.2 (Fall 2000), pp.29-30.

Jinpyo Yoon 387

North Korea is superior quantitatively to South Korea in every weapon except the
helicopter. The Norths quantitative supremacy is due to the cumulative effect of the
military investment since the 1960s. The South has invested much in the weapons
system since the 1990s reflecting its growing economic power. Comparing the
statistics of 1992 and 2000, the South has added its military strength in many fields
such as 710 tanks, 700 armored vehicles, 780 field artillery, 10 submarines, and 60
tactical aircrafts, whereas the North has not made much progress in the weapons
system except artillery and submarine. The economic difficulties since the 1990s
restrained North Korea from continuing its military buildup.
By the way North Korea has been developing nuclear, chemical, and biological
warfare capabilities. North Korea is ranked to the 3rd in the world in terms of
production and stockpiling of chemical and biological weapons. North Korea also
deployed the Scud missiles with range of 300 to 500 and the Rodong-1 and 2
with range of 1,000 to 1,500. Considering the Norths capability of strategic
weapons, the military gap between the South and the North would widen more.7)
On the other hand, since the Korean War in 1950, South Korea has developed
the combined defense structure with the U.S. based on the Republic of Korea
(ROK)-US Mutual Defense Treaty and the establishment of the ROK-US Combined
Forces Command (CFC). The combined defense system serves as the cornerstone of
South Koreas defense posture. In order to reinforce the combined defense posture,
South Korea has developed the military strategy of three-dimensional and high-speed
mobile combat capabilities to repel attacks at the front line and strike severe blow
to the enemy at the initial stages of war.
South Korea and the U.S. agreed upon the concept of the Koreanization of
Korean Defense, that changes current defense structure into a strategic cooperative
system in which South Korea should lead the security partnership with the U.S.8)
For the purpose of increasing self-reliant defense posture and maximizing combat
7) Kang argues the nuclear weapons of North Korea are primarily political and not
military weapons. See David C. Kang, Rethinking North Korea, Asian Survey Vol.35,
No.3 (March 1995), pp.265-267.
8) Ministry of National Defense, Defense White Paper 1993-1994 (Seoul, Korea, 1993),
pp.99-111.

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efficiency of the armed forces, South Korean army emphasizes the establishment of
complete combat readiness for quick-response and the development of effective
operation plans through the integrated operation command system. The navy puts
strategic emphasis on boosting the combat strength of each naval unit according to
the mission and improving the capacity of landing and amphibious raids. The air
force works to secure the air supremacy through destroying the enemys air offense
and defense systems and conducts close air support operations for the navy and the
army.

. Military Integration and Defense Policy of a Unified Korea

Military integration is defined as a process to make new integrative body in
which military structure, command and control system, and troops and weapons are
to be integrated.9) In other words, military integration is a process of integrating
individual military structures that have been developed separately into a unified
command system. Military integration has to be implemented in cooperation with
political and socioeconomic integration since it is also a part of new state building
during the unification process.
The goal of military integration of a unified Korea should be to establish military
command system and build homogeneity between the South and the North. In more
detail, it includes both functional and regional integration; functional integration tells
the integration of command, control, and communication system and educational
system. Regional integration seeks new military buildup and its role considering
9) Myron Weiner provides five political definitions of integration. 1. a process of uniting
groups to have been divided socio-culturally as a territorial unit and establishing
national identity, 2. a process of making universal control for attributing unequal
specific subunits or sub regions to a central authority, 3. an affair for connecting
government and people, 4. a minimal agreement to maintain social order, 5. and ability
to institutionalize for a certain common objective. Myron Weiner, Problems of
Integration and Modernization Breakdown,in Jason Finkle and Richard Gable, eds.,
Political Development and Social Change (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1966),
pp.551-553.

Jinpyo Yoon 389

geopolitical position of a unified Korea. The most important thing in military

integration would be the integration of separate manpower which make the result of
military integration because it must be very difficult for hostile competitors to live
under the same roof.
A unified Korea on the Korean peninsula shares the borderline of 1,360 with
China, 16 with Russia and has the coastline of 8,500. A unified Korea will be
faced with many conflicting factors and will have to set up defense policy and
military strategy considering the changing security environment. Like South and
North Korea, a unified Korea will be a medium-sized country in all aspects.
Therefore, it will have the similar constraints for its defense as do South and North
Korea. It is imperative to determine whether it defends with its own forces or in
cooperation with allied forces. Although a unified Korea will not be able to have
the power of a balancer in Northeast Asia, it has to maintain enough capacity to
play as a mediator. A unified Korea should pay much attention to enhance national
resilience that could be achieved through systematic efforts for seeking an optimum
matrix of hard power and soft power of the military strength.
Defense policy of a unified Korea should concentrate on maintenance of the
deterrence power on the Korean peninsula and participation in the regional security
cooperative system in Northeast Asia. Sources of threat would be various in both
military and non-military aspect. Uncertainty will be increased with the emergence
of potential threats such as territorial conflict, economic troubles, and technological
disputes. Facing diverse threats, the defense policy of a unified Korea has to focus
on qualitative and flexible military buildup with investment to planning, intelligence,
and professional training.
With self-reliant defense posture, a unified Korea should choose a type of alliance
with respect to surrounding countries. It would be irrational that a unified Korea has
bilateral alliances with every surrounding country. It would be desirable that Korea
and the U.S. maintain the alliance with minimum US military presence in Korea.10)
10) Baier demonstrates the future character of the ROK-U.S. alliance system and the
measures to be reckoned upon for the preparation of unification. See Michael J. Baier,
From Forward Defense to Forward Presence: Military Factors Influencing the ROK
and US Combined Forces in the Approaching Unification Era, The Korean Journal of

390 23 2

The complete withdrawal of the U.S. forces would create a security vacuum in
Northeast Asia that threatens the stability in the region. The U.S. military role in
the region would be akin to that in Europe for the purpose of maintaining the
balance of power. While maintaining the basic framework of current combined
defense system, the role of a unified Korea will be expanded and the system will
be transformed into more parallel system. In addition Korea has to lead to build up
a multilateral security cooperation system which includes Northeast Asian countries
surrounding the Korean peninsula to ensure strategic stability of the region.
Military strategy has to be oriented toward total defense concept with the
offensive defense

posture.11) Solid military strength and force structure can

materialize the offensive defense concept for a unified Korea. The offensive defense
strategy requires that a unified Korea should be ready to defend in offensive way.
Modern warfare is characterized with intensive surprise attack. The success of
warfare depends on the speed of military operations to maximize the mobility. The
ground force reinforces with light and mobile combat units and mechanized forces
composed of tanks, armored vehicles, and aviation forces. The naval force
concentrates on construction of mobile fleets that can execute three-dimensional
operation on surface, underwater and air. The navy has to obtain high-performance
combat vessels, anti-submarine aircraft, and surveillance aircraft. The air force pays
more attention to high-efficient air strike capacity and improvement of strategic
strike capacity as well as procurement of high-performance tactical aircrafts and air
defense system.12)
Highly efficient command and control mechanism is mandatory to defend a

Defense Analysis Vol.6 No.2 (Winter 1994), pp.277-284.

11) Chang-il Ohn, New Security Environment and A Viable Military Strategy for Korea.
Byong-Moo Hwang and Yong-Sup Han, eds., Korean Security Policies Toward Peace
and Unification. (Seoul, Korea: The Korean Association of International Studies, 1996),
pp.109-115.
12) As shown in the Gulf War, there are four major battle missions; deep striking, isolating
a battle-zone, blocking, and ground-borne, sea-borne, or air-borne assaulting. Each
mission can only be accomplished by the combined efforts of all services of the armed
forces.) Chang-il Ohn, South Koreas New Defense Policy and Military Strategy, The
Korean Journal of Defense Analyses, Vol.6 No.1 (Summer 1994), pp.236-241.

Jinpyo Yoon 391

unified Korea. In this trend Korea should develop the guided missile system and
modernize the command, control, communication, and computer (C4I) system.
Maintaining the highly integrated C4I system for directing all types of military
operations is quite important for unified Korean armed forces.
Putting the above things into summary, a unified Koreas military strategy can be
called scorpion strategy. While passive defensive strategy is applied before the
unification like a hedgehog, the military strategy acting like a scorpion will be quite
needed after the unification from the perspective of positive defense and deterrent
denial. The scorpion can survive in harsh desert where other animals cant live since
it has the skin to prevent the heat from penetrating into the body and does the
physiological function against the heat. Along with this positive defense capacity, the
scorpion has a lethal sting which gives any offender fatal blow. As a certain
survival method of small animal in rough surroundings, the scorpions offensive
defense capacity shows us the direction of a unified Koreas military strategy

. Military Power and Force Structure of the Armed Forces of a

Unified Korea
A unified Koreas military power should be constructed under the principle of
maintaining the armed forces enough to act as a solid middle-power country.
Domestic and international environments are considered to determine the level of
military power. The level of the military power of a unified Korea has to be
determined through the top-down method. That indicates that firstly, the decision of
proper weapons system after the unification such as the ground force, the naval
force, the air force, and the strategic force respectively; secondly, the decision of
numbers of the troops based on the weapons system; thirdly, the decision of ratio of
each service of the armed forces; fourthly, the decision of force structure and
deployment of the armed forces in tandem with the weapons and the troops.
Considering the current military strength of North and South Korea and the
security environment of the Korean peninsula, I suggest that a desirable military

392 23 2

power of a unified Korea consists of the ground force with 2,000 tanks, 2,500
armored vehicles, and 5,000 artillery the naval force with 170 combatants, 30
support vessels, and 25 submarines the air force with 500 tactical aircrafts, 200
support aircrafts, and 300 helicopters.
In ground force, main battle tanks consist of middle tanks rather than heavy
tanks. Armored combat vehicles are focused on light mobility. Artillery consists of
long-range guns and multiple-rocket launchers with a caliber of 100mm and above,
capable of engaging targets of strategic depth.
In naval force, mobile fleet is specifically needed because the navy of a unified
Korea has to increase its strength enough to control the coastal area around the
Korean peninsula and deter the maritime control of potential enemy as well.13)
Korean mobile fleet is composed of the surface combatants of blue water navy that
can operate independently for a prolonged time, which requires one 20,000
30,000tonnes light aircraft carrier, 23 Aegis cruisers, and more powerful heavy
submarines. Comparing fast growing navies of China and Japan, it is quite necessary
that Korean navy should possess the capability of aircraft carrier fleet supported by
Aegis cruisers equipped with long range guided missiles and over 3,000tonnes
nuclear-fuelled tactical submarines.
In air force, tactical combat aircrafts should be multi-role fighters equipped to
deliver air-to-air and air-to-surface ordnance. They are supported efficiently by other
aircrafts for electronic combat and reconnaissance. For rapid response and electronic
support measures, Korea requires 45 AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control
System) and 1020 aircrafts for electronic combat.
Strategic weapons are indispensable to implement the offensive defense strategy of
a unified Korea. About 100 ballistic missiles and cruise missiles with the range of
1,5002,000 will be needed to protect the Korean peninsula effectively.
Along with considering manpower for operating the weapons system, desirable
size and composition of troops for a unified Korea could be also estimated through
comparative analysis with military powers of other countries. We can find similar
13) Choon-Kun Lee, Missions and Contributions of the Korea Navy in the Post-Cold War
and the EEZ Era, Choon-Kun Lee, ed., The Middle Power Navies (Seoul, Korea: The
Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy, 1999), pp.188-192.

Jinpyo Yoon 393

cases with a unified Korea, for instance, 1) the country with similar physical and
economic environment (Spain, Italy), 2) the country with similar historical experience
(Germany), 3) the country with similar geopolitical situation (Israel), 4) the country
with potential competition in Northeast Asia (Japan). These four types of countries
provide the reference to estimate military power and force structure of the armed
forces of a unified Korea.

<Table 2> Comparison of the Armed Forces (1998)

Classification
Territory
GDP
Country
(Thousand) (Billion $)

Population
(Million)

Troops
(Thousand)

Troops /
Population
(%)

Army:
Navy: Air
Force

Italy

301

1100

57.9

298

0.51

62:15:23

Spain

505

531

39.2

194

0.49

65:19:16

Germany

357

2,100

81.1

333

0.41

69:18:23

Israel

20

97

5.9

175

2.96

76:15:19

Japan

378

4,200

126.2

243

0.19

63:18:19

Source: The International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 1999-2000
(London: Oxford University Press, 1999)

The table shows socioeconomic and military statistics of concerned countries to be

selected for estimating desirable military strength of a unified Korea. Italy and Spain
are the peninsular states like Korea that have similar historical experience in
geopolitical terms. The territory and population of a unified Korea are nearly similar
with those of Italy. Korean economy is as big as that of Italy. Italy has the troops
of 300,000 which is 0.51% of the total population. The ratio of army, navy, and air
force is 62:15:23. The number of the armed forces of Spain is about 200,000 that
are 0.49% of the population and the ratio of each service is 65:19:16.
Germany exceeds Korea far more in economic terms. However, since Germany
was the divided country like Korea, German experience of the unification provides
Korea with a good reference.14) Germany decided to have the armed forces of
330,000 in the process of the unification which is 0.41% of 80 millions people. The
14) Byung-Chul Seo, The German Unification as a Model for Korea IFANS Review Vol.6
(Seoul, Korea: The Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, 1998), pp.41-44.

394 23 2

ratio of each service of the armed forces is 69:8:23 that reflects relative priority to
the air force. Israel is a small state that has the military capacity enough to deter
aggression from the neighboring Arab states. Winning the wars in the Middle East,
Israel teaches the excellent lesson to Korea in terms of the military strategy. Israel
has the troops of 170,000 with efficient reserved forces and civil defense system.
Israel emphasizes the role of the air force that is 19% of the armed forces.
Looking at the countries surrounding the Korean peninsula, it is of no sense that
Koreas military power would come up with those of China, Russia, and the U.S.
Rather it is rational that Korea should pay more attention to the trend of Japanese
military buildup because Japan has inseparable historical relations with Korea and
shares many comparable factors with Korea such as territory and population. The
fast growth of Japanese naval and air forces is so eminent that Korea should keep
the trend in mind. Japanese defense expenditure has concentrated on high-tech
equipments supported by its superb economic power. In the strategic environmental
change in Northeast Asia, Korea needs to watch Japanese military buildup more
closely.
The number of the troops can be determined by calculating the troops required to
operate and support the weapons system. Based on the level of the weapons system,
it is desirable that the total number of the armed forces would be decided around
360,000 which is 0.5% of a unified Korean population. Currently South Korean
troops are 1.7% of the population and North Korean troops reaches up to 4.8%.
Both countries maintain excessive troops compared with 0.5% of Italy and Spain,
and 0.4% of Germany. So the troops of a unified Korea would be appropriate at
the level of 0.5% of the population like other compared countries. I summarize the
desirable size of the weapons system and troops of a unified Korea in Table 3.

Jinpyo Yoon 395

<Table 3> Military Power of a Unified Korea

Troops

360,000

Ground Force

240,000

Tanks

2,000

Armored Vehicles

2,500

Field Artillery

5,000

Naval Force

60,000

Combatants

170

Support Vessels

30

Submarines

25

Air Force

60,000

Tactical Aircrafts

500

Support Aircrafts

200

Helicopters

300

The composition of the armed forces should be changed into increasing the
number of the navy and the air force, which reflects the trend of advancing toward
the technology- intensive armed forces. As the weapons system becomes more
sophisticated and more highly automated and military technology develops, the
militarys demand for high-quality manpower combining specialized knowledge and
skill will inevitably increase. The composition ratio of each service of the armed
forces should be modified to make the armed forces technologically oriented. As
both the navy and the air force require more technicians than the army, the ratio of
the navy and the air force should be increased, taking into consideration the
corresponding ratio of referred countries.15) Reflecting the peninsular characteristic,
Korea must make efforts to increase the ratio of the navy and the air force up to
15% respectively. At the composition ratio of 70:15:15 of 360,000 troops in a
15) Currently South Korean army comprises 87% of the total number of troops and the
navy 8%, the air force 5% respectively. North Korean army takes up to 90% and the
navy 2%, the air force 6%. Both countries depend on the army too heavily. Typical
continental countries are inclined to have the composition ratio of 7:1:2, whereas
maritime countries have the ratio of 2:1:1. Therefore the ratio of the armed forces of a
unified Korea should be directed to make balance between the continental type and the
maritime type.

396 23 2

unified Korea, the number of the army will be about 240,000, while the navy and
the air force have about 60,000 troops respectively.
Lastly, force structure and deployment of the armed forces should be in harmony
with troops and weapons systems. Force structure is closely related with command
and logistics system.

<Table 4> Force Structure of the Armed Forces of a Unified Korea

Ground Force

Naval Force

Corps

Infantry Divisions

Mechanized Divisions

Artillery Brigades

Air Force

Fleet Commands

Air Command

Flotillas

Air Combat Brigades

Special Forces Brigades

Squadrons

26

Air Support Brigades

Aviation Brigades

Aviation Brigade

Air-Defense Command

Logistics Command

Marine Corps Division

Air-Defense Brigades

The ground force is deployed according to three regions in the Korean peninsula,
that is, northern region, central region, and southern region. Each region has one
corps and each corps has two infantry divisions, one mechanized division, and one
artillery brigade. Each corps also has three reserve mobilization divisions to deal
with reserve forces troops. This force structure gets flexibility to expand the division
to the corps in wartime. In addition, three special forces brigades are formed under
one special forces command. Three aviation brigades are organized under the army
aviation command. To guarantee performance of equipment and maximize combat
capability, comprehensive logistics support system is operated through one logistics
command.
The naval force is organized with three fleet commands responsible for three seas
around the Korean peninsula. Each fleet command has two flotillas and the number
of squadrons varies with situation of each command. Naval aviation is composed of
one aviation brigade with 5,000 troops. In addition, one marine corps division has
15,000 troops.
The air force of a unified Korea consists of seven air combat brigades and three

Jinpyo Yoon 397

air support brigades under one air command. One air brigade has three squadrons
and an average squadron consists of 20 aircrafts. The air force also includes three
air-defense brigades with 10,000 troops under one air-defense command.

. Conclusion
Until now I examined the process of military integration and suggested a desirable
military strength with military strategy as vital national interest of a unified Korea.
As this study assumed the probability to be likely to occur in the future, I
recognize the limitation of presumption about the military integration of a unified
Korea. However, the value of this study would be evaluated with respect to
preparation for the unification. This study can help two Koreas take proper measures
to advance toward the unification and integration.
A unified Korea will be able to play the role of a mediator in Northeast Asia.
As a middle power country, Korea should concentrate on increasing national
resilience in terms of defense policy and military strategy. For achieving the military
strategy that is compared to scorpion strategy, Korea should make much effort to
construct integrated and technology-intensive combat capability. Considering features
of modern warfare and security environment surrounding the Korean peninsula, ideas
of military integration should be developed more in order to restructure current
armed forces and optimize defense resources for the future.

398 23 2

Bibliography

Baier, Michael J. From Forward Defense to Forward Presence: Military Factors Influencing the
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