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Defense minister considers establishing an elite troop aiming the heart of N. Korea

Defense minister considers establishing an elite troop aiming the heart of N. Korea

Posted October. 17, 2017 07:23,   

Updated October. 17, 2017 08:15

한국어

It has been confirmed that Defense Minister Song Young-moo expressed the necessity of establishing an airborne division in order to win when a war break out between the two Koreas. The focus is on the possibility of visualization of an aggressive elite maneuvering troop, which can put deeply into the enemy camp in the early stages in case of emergency, such as the 101st and the 82nd Airborne Divisions of the United States Army.

“Defense Minister Song put emphasis on the change of the paradigm of war due to North Korea’s accelerated nuclear and missile threat, saying he will change the structure of the army to fir the paradigm,” a military source stated on Monday. “As a concrete method, the minister mentioned the necessity of the airborne division many times when he met the military commands.”

An airborne division penetrates deeply into the enemy camp region in the shortest time possible with aircrafts (transport airplanes, helicopters, etc.) and carries out strategical tactical missions, such as capturing the strategic point and the destruction of key units. The idea is about putting a large scale military strength (troops and weapons) at the early stages of war to strike a fatal blow, ending the war at an early stage.

The personnel from the source also reported that Minister Song put emphasis on changing the performing method of war from “defensive linear battle” to “aggressive deep combat battle” at a government inspection because he has establishing of an aggressive troop, such as an airborne division, in his mind. “Minister Song thinks that an old method of deploying ground forces along the frontline in front of the military demarcation line has its limitations in ‘quick attacks’ in case of an emergency,” another personnel said. The United States put and operated the 101st and the 82nd Airborne Divisions in major battlefield of World War II and Iraq War.

Some argue that establishing an airborne division requires large scale transportation strength and air support strength, and others point out that large scale airborne operations will not be effective because North Korea has large number of mountainous areas. “The structure of the army will be reformed, including the establishment of an airborne division in consideration of Korea’s battlefield environment and concept of operation,” a military personnel said.



Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com