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Ministry of National Defense (South Korea)

Coordinates: 37°32′01″N 126°58′40″E / 37.533528°N 126.977694°E / 37.533528; 126.977694
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Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea
대한민국 국방부
Daehanminguk Gukbangbu
Agency overview
Formed15 August 1948; 76 years ago (1948-08-15)
JurisdictionGovernment of South Korea
Headquarters22, Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
37°32′01″N 126°58′40″E / 37.533528°N 126.977694°E / 37.533528; 126.977694
Annual budget57.01 trillion
US$44.2 billion (2023)[1]
Minister responsible
  • Kim Yong-hyun
Deputy Minister responsible
  • Kim Seon-ho
Child agencies
WebsiteOfficial MND website in English
Official MND website in Korean
Ministry of National Defense
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationDaehanminguk Gukbangbu
McCune–ReischauerTaehanmin'guk Kukpangbu

The Ministry of National Defense (MND, Korean대한민국 국방부; Hanja大韓民國 國防部; RRDaehanminguk Gukbangbu) is a department within the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and responsible for the military branches of South Korea.

History

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The Ministry of National Defense was established on 15 August 1948[2] and located at Yongsan-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul.[3] It was established following the foundation of ROK in 1948, superseding the Department of Internal Security [ko] (DIS, 국내경비부) in charge of Southern Korean armed forces under the United States Army Military Government (USAMGIK) during the Allied occupation era.[4] During Coup d'état of December Twelfth, ministry was occupied by 1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade commanded by Park Hee-do.[5] In 2018, the Ministry has agreed to respect the results from its Special Investigation Committee on Gwangju Uprising in which MD Helicopters MD 500 and UH-1H were used to fire on protesting citizens.[6]

The Ministry of National Defense is allegedly active in military-level censorship such as book banning[7] and screening of mobile apps[8] within the military hierarchy.

In April 2024, South Korean and the UK navies conducted joint patrols around the Korean Peninsula to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The mission aimed to intercept illicit shipping, following the Downing Street Accord signed by the leaders earlier. Canada and New Zealand also contributed to sanctions enforcement in the region. However, challenges arose, with Russia vetoing a resolution to renew the panel monitoring sanctions enforcement against North Korea.[9]

Agencies

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List of ministers

[edit]
  Denotes acting minister
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Defence branch President
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Lee Beom-seok
이범석
李範奭

(1900–1972)
15 August 1948 20 March 1949 217 days Korean Liberation Army
Syngman Rhee
2 Shin Song-mo
신성모
申性模

(1891–1960)
21 March 1949 5 May 1951 2 years, 45 days  Republic of Korea Navy
3 Lee Ki-poong
이기붕
李起鵬

(1896–1960)
7 May 1951 29 March 1952 327 days Civilian
4 Shin Tae-young [ko]
신태영
申泰英

(1891–1959)
29 March 1952 30 June 1953 1 year, 93 days  Republic of Korea Army
5 Sohn Won-yil
손원일
孫元一

(1909–1980)
30 June 1953 26 May 1956 2 years, 331 days  Republic of Korea Navy
6 Kim Yong-woo
김용우
金用雨

(1912–1985)
26 May 1956 6 July 1957 1 year, 41 days Civilian
7 Kim Chung-yul
김정렬
金貞烈

(1917–1992)
6 July 1957 2 May 1960 2 years, 301 days  Republic of Korea Air Force
8 Lee Jong-chan [ko]
이종찬
李鐘贊

(1916–1983)
2 May 1960 23 August 1960 113 days  Republic of Korea Army
Yun Bo-seon
9 Hyun Suk-ho [ko]
현석호
玄錫虎

(1907–1988)
23 August 1960 12 September 1960 20 days Civilian
10 Kwon Joong-don [ko]
권중돈
權仲敦

(1912–1985)
12 September 1960 30 January 1961 140 days Civilian
(9) Hyun Suk-ho [ko]
현석호
玄錫虎

(1907–1988)
30 January 1961 18 May 1961 108 days Civilian
11 Chang Do-yong
장도영
張都暎

(1923–2012)
20 May 1961 6 June 1961 17 days  Republic of Korea Army
Shin Eung-gyun [ko]
신응균
申應均

(1921–1996)
Acting
6 June 1961 12 June 1961 6 days  Republic of Korea Army
12 Song Yo-chan
송요찬
宋堯讚

(1918–1980)
12 June 1961 10 July 1961 28 days  Republic of Korea Army
13 Park Byung-kwon [ko]
박병권
朴炳權

(1920–2005)
10 July 1961 16 March 1963 1 year, 249 days  Republic of Korea Army

Park Chung-hee
(acting)
14 Kim Sung-eun [ko]
김성은
金聖恩

(1924–2007)
16 March 1963 27 February 1968 4 years, 348 days Republic of Korea Marine Corps

Park Chung-hee
15 Choi Young-hee [ko]
최영희
崔榮喜

(1921–2006)
28 February 1968 5 August 1968 159 days  Republic of Korea Army
16 Im Chung-sik
임충식
任忠植

(1922–1974)
5 August 1968 10 March 1970 1 year, 217 days  Republic of Korea Army
17 Chung Rae-hyuk [ko]
정래혁
丁來赫

(1926–2022)
10 March 1970 25 August 1971 1 year, 168 days  Republic of Korea Army
18 Yu Jae-hung
유재흥
劉載興

(1921–2011)
25 August 1971 3 December 1973 2 years, 100 days  Republic of Korea Army
19 Seo Jong-chul [ko]
서종철
徐鐘喆

(1924–2010)
3 December 1973 20 December 1977 4 years, 17 days  Republic of Korea Army
20 Roh Jae-hyun
노재현
盧載鉉

(1926–2019)
20 December 1977 14 December 1979 1 year, 359 days  Republic of Korea Army
21 Joo Young-bok
주영복
周永福

(1927–2005)
14 December 1979 21 May 1982 2 years, 158 days  Republic of Korea Air Force
Choi Kyu-hah

Chun Doo-hwan
22 Yoon Sung-min
윤성민
尹誠敏

(1926–2017)
21 May 1982 8 January 1986 3 years, 232 days  Republic of Korea Army
23 Lee Ki-paik [ko]
이기백
李基百

(1931-2019)
8 January 1986 14 July 1987 1 year, 187 days  Republic of Korea Army
24 Chung Ho-yong
정호용
鄭鎬溶

(born 1932)
14 July 1987 25 February 1988 226 days  Republic of Korea Army
25 Oh Ja-bok [ko]
오자복
吳滋福

(1930–2017)
25 February 1988 4 December 1988 283 days  Republic of Korea Army
Roh Tae-woo
26 Lee Sang-hoon [ko]
이상훈
李相薰

(1933–2023)
4 December 1988 8 October 1990 1 year, 308 days  Republic of Korea Army
27 Lee Jong-gu [ko]
이종구
李鐘九

(born 1935)
8 October 1990 20 December 1991 1 year, 73 days  Republic of Korea Army
28 Choi Se-chang [ko]
최세창
崔世昌

(born 1934)
20 December 1991 26 February 1993 1 year, 68 days  Republic of Korea Army
29 Kwon Young-hae
권영해
權寧海

(born 1937)
26 February 1993 22 December 1993 299 days  Republic of Korea Army
Kim Young-sam
30 Lee Byung-tae
이병태
李炳台

(born 1937)
22 December 1993 24 December 1994 1 year, 2 days  Republic of Korea Army
31 Lee Yang-ho
이양호
李養鎬

(1937-2020)
24 December 1994 18 October 1996 1 year, 299 days  Republic of Korea Air Force
32 Kim Dong-jin [ko]
김동진
金東鎭

(born 1938)
18 October 1996 3 March 1998 1 year, 136 days  Republic of Korea Army
33 Chun Yong-taek [ko]
천용택
千容宅

(born 1937)
3 March 1998 24 May 1999 1 year, 82 days  Republic of Korea Army
Kim Dae-jung
34 Cho Song-tae [ko]
조성태
趙成台

(1942–2021)
24 May 1999 26 March 2001 1 year, 306 days  Republic of Korea Army
35 Kim Dong-shin [ko]
김동신
金東信

(born 1941)
26 March 2001 12 July 2002 1 year, 108 days  Republic of Korea Army
36 Lee Jun [ko]
이준
李俊

(born 1940)
12 July 2002 27 February 2003 230 days  Republic of Korea Army
37 Cho Yung-kil [ko]
조영길
曺永吉

(born 1940)
27 February 2003 29 July 2004 1 year, 153 days  Republic of Korea Army
Roh Moo-hyun
38 Yoon Kwang-ung
윤광웅
尹光雄

(born 1942)
29 July 2004 24 November 2006 2 years, 118 days  Republic of Korea Navy
39 Kim Jang-soo
김장수
金章洙

(born 1948)
24 November 2006 29 February 2008 1 year, 97 days  Republic of Korea Army
40 Lee Sang-hee
이상희
李相憙

(born 1945)
29 February 2008 22 September 2009 1 year, 206 days  Republic of Korea Army
Lee Myung-bak
41 Kim Tae-young
김태영
金泰榮

(born 1949)
23 September 2009 4 December 2010 1 year, 72 days  Republic of Korea Army
42 Kim Kwan-jin
김관진
金寬鎭

(born 1949)
4 December 2010 30 June 2014 3 years, 208 days  Republic of Korea Army

Park Geun-hye
43 Han Min-goo
한민구
韓民求

(born 1951)
30 June 2014 13 July 2017 3 years, 13 days  Republic of Korea Army
44 Song Young-moo
송영무
宋永武

(born 1949)
13 July 2017 21 September 2018 1 year, 70 days  Republic of Korea Navy
Moon Jae-in
45 Jeong Kyeong-doo
정경두
鄭景斗

(born 1960)
21 September 2018 18 September 2020 1 year, 363 days  Republic of Korea Air Force
46 Suh Wook
서욱
徐旭

(born 1963)
18 September 2020 10 May 2022 1 year, 234 days  Republic of Korea Army
47 Lee Jong-sup
이종섭
李鐘燮

(born 1960)
10 May 2022 6 October 2023 1 year, 149 days  Republic of Korea Army
Yoon Suk Yeol
48 Shin Won-sik
신원식
申源湜

(born 1958)
7 October 2023 5 September 2024 334 days  Republic of Korea Army
49 Kim Yong-hyun [ko]
김용현
金龍顯

(born 1959 June 25)
6 September 2024 Incumbent 52 days  Republic of Korea Army

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Defense Buget". Ministry of National Defense. 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  2. ^ "History of Ministry of National Defense"[permanent dead link] ROK Ministry of National Defense Retrieved 2012-04-11
  3. ^ "Location." (Archive) Ministry of National Defense. Retrieved on January 1, 2014. "Yongsan-dong 3 Ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 140-701"
  4. ^ 나종남 (2013), "<제6주제-국방> 대한민국 국군의 창설과 성장, 1945~1955: '創軍史'에서 '建軍史'로", 대한민국 정부수립과 국가체제 구축 연구용역 : 용역 최종보고서 (in Korean), National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, p. 220
  5. ^ "제1공수여단장! 박희도(朴熙道)". 영남신문 (in Korean). 10 February 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  6. ^ "5 · 18 Special Committee "Confirmation of military helicopter shooting"". National Defense Daily. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  7. ^ Kim, Eun-jung (28 October 2010). "Constitutional Court upholds ban on 'seditious books' in military". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  8. ^ Bae, Ji-sook (7 February 2012). "Military to screen all mobile apps". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  9. ^ Choi, David (11 April 2024). "UK, South Korea complete first joint patrol to intercept illicit North Korean trade". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
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