South Korea’s Strategic Command, responsible for deterring and responding to North Korea’s nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats, held its inauguration ceremony on Sept. 30, ahead of its official launch on Oct. 1.
The Ministry of National Defense moved the ceremony a day earlier, due to Oct. 1 being Armed Forces Day, a temporary holiday. The event was held at the Capital Defense Command in the Gwanak district of Seoul.
Attending the ceremony were Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Myung-soo, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and U.S. Forces Korea Commander Paul LaCamera. Minister Kim stated that the establishment of the Strategic Command demonstrates the military’s commitment to “peace through strength.” He warned that if North Korea uses nuclear weapons, it would lead to regime collapse, supported by the South Korea-U.S. alliance. He urged the Strategic Command to implement “integrated deterrence,” instilling fear in adversaries while fostering public trust.
The Strategic Command will oversee military strategic assets, including high-powered Hyunmoo ballistic missiles, stealth fighters, and 3,000-ton-class submarines. It will serve as a counterpart to the U.S. Strategic Command, which controls intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), coordinating with the U.S. on nuclear and conventional integrated operations (CNI) and joint training exercises.
Air Force Lieutenant General Jin Young-seung was appointed as the first commander of the Strategic Command. He said, “As the sole strategic unit in South Korea dedicated to deterring and responding to North Korea’s nuclear and WMD threats, we will carry out our mission with the utmost responsibility to ensure the safety of the nation and its people.”
