Top military commanders convene to review combat readiness

By Sam Kim
GYERYONGDAE, South Korea, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of South Korea's top
military commanders assembled Thursday to run down a series of defense policies
aimed at enhancing their combat readiness against North Korea.
Over 300 commanders, ranging from the defense minister to Army, Air Force and
Navy brigadier generals, convened at the Gyeryongdae joint military command, some
50 kilometers south of Seoul.
The meeting, the largest-ever in scale, is a follow-up to a 2009 defense policy
report presented to President Lee Myung-bak in December, according to defense
officials.
Citing the report, which outlines steps for the military to follow in improving
its operational readiness and communication, Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said,
"reshaping" the armed forces remains a high priority for the government that took
power early last year.
"A new administration commenced last year, marking the 60th anniversary of the
birth of our Army," Lee said, speaking in front of hundreds of uniformed
generals. "Thanks to your efforts, we have been able to establish a solid
defensive posture and deter our enemy."
"Times are now changing, and the military should also change," he said, warning
against a failure to cope with reforms.
The rare meeting comes as South Korea is set to shoulder a greater portion of its
defense against North Korea by taking over wartime operation control of its
troops from the United States in 2012.
The U.S. has retained wartime command since it fought on the South Korean side in
the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce, and has some 28,500 troops here
as a deterrent against North Korea.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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