South Korea set to establish new ‘strategic command' unit

The South Korean MND's 2024–28 Mid-Term Defense Plan (MTDP), announced in December 2023, proposed defence spending worth KRW348.7 trillion. (Janes Defense Budgets)

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND) has confirmed plans to establish a new command unit within the Republic of Korea (RoK) Armed Forces to co-ordinate the deployment of some of the country's key critical military assets.

The MND said on 18 July that the RoK Armed Forces' Strategic Command will be operational before the end of 2024. It said the move is part of the government's efforts to boost capability against North Korea.

Speaking at an MND briefing about the proposed new unit, South Korea's Deputy Defence Minister Kim Seon-ho said the strategic command would be involved in scoping plans for deploying critical assets as well as supporting joint operations with the country's key military ally, the United States.

“The strategic command will be a unit that leads the development of nuclear and conventional integrated operational concepts and plans and combat development in new areas such as space, cyber, and the electromagnetic spectrum in conjunction with the operation of the RoK-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG),” Kim said in an MND statement.

The NCG was established by the governments of South Korea and the US in 2023 to strengthen nuclear deterrence and related co-operation and to manage the growing nuclear threat posed by North Korea.

Plans to establish the strategic command were first referenced by the MND in July 2022 following a meeting between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol – who assumed office in May that year – and top commanders from the RoK Armed Forces.