Joint Chiefs of Staff (South Korea)
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea (Korean: 대한민국 합동참모본부, Hanja: 大韓民國 合同參謀本部) is a group of Chiefs from each major branch of the armed services in the South Korean military. Unlike the United States' counterpart which is primarily advisory, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has actual operational control over all military personnel of South Korea's armed forces. The National Command Authority runs from the President and the Minister of National Defense to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then to Operational Commands of the service branches, bypassing the Headquarters of each service branch. Currently there are five Operational Commands in the Army, two in the Navy (including the Marine Corps) and one in the Air Force.
| Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea | |
|---|---|
| 대한민국 합동참모본부 大韓民國 合同參謀本部 | |
 Insignia of Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
| Founded | June 1963 |
| Country |  |
| Website | Official website |
| Commanders | |
| JCS Chairman | General Park Han-ki |
| Army Chief of Staff | General Suh Wook |
| Chief of Naval Operations | Admiral Boo Suk-jong |
| Air Force Chief of Staff | General Won In-choul |
It was created in May 1954 and assumed its current name in 1963, though there had been Supreme Command of the Armed Forces dating from 1948.
All (regular) members of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs are 4-star generals and admirals, though the Deputy Chairman in the past has been 3-star lieutenant general or vice admiral intermittently. Traditionally, the Chairman is chosen from the Army (with one previous and one current exceptions as October 2013) while the Deputy Chairman is selected from either the Navy or the Air Force. The Commandant of the Marine Corps, legally subordinate to the Republic of Korea Navy, can attend the Joint Chiefs of Staff meetings when examining the matter pertaining to the Marine Corps.
Current members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
| Portrait | Name | Position | Branch |
|---|---|---|---|
_General_Park_Han-ki_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EB%B0%95%ED%95%9C%EA%B8%B0_(US_Navy_photo_191001-D-PB383-001_CJCS_Hosts_ROK%2C_Japanese_Counterparts_for_Multilateral_Discussions).jpg) | General Park Han-ki | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff & Chief Director of the Joint Defense Headquarters |  |
 | General Suh Wook | Chief of Staff of the Republic of Korea Army | |
 | Admiral Boo Suk-jong | Chief of Naval Operations of the Republic of Korea Navy |  |
_General_Won_In-choul_%EA%B3%B5%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EC%9B%90%EC%9D%B8%EC%B2%A0_(US_Air_Force_photo_191016-F-HB600-1082_Pacific_Air_Forces_Commander_reaffirms_ironclad_alliance_at_exhibition_in_Seoul).jpg) | General Won In-choul | Chief of Staff of the Republic of Korea Air Force |  |
List of Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces
Previous Chairmen have been:[1]
Chairman of the Combined Chiefs of Staff
| No. | Chairman of the Combined Chiefs of Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Republic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Lee Hyong-kon (1920–2002) | 17 February 1954 | 27 June 1956 | 2 years, 131 days | Army | 1st Republic | |
| 2 | General Jeong Il-Gwon (1917–1994) | 27 June 1956 | 18 May 1957 | 325 days | Army | 1st Republic | |
| 3 | Lieutenant General Yu Jae-Hyung (1921–2011) | 18 May 1957 | 26 February 1959 | 1 year, 284 days | Army | 1st Republic | |
| 4 | General Paik Sun-yup (1920–2020) | 26 February 1959 | 31 May 1960 | 1 year, 95 days | Army | 1st Republic | |
| (3) | Lieutenant General Yu Jae-Hyung (1921–2011) Acting | 31 May 1960 | 29 August 1960 | 90 days | Army | 2nd Republic | |
| 5 | Lieutenant General Choi Young-Hee (1921–2006) | 29 August 1960 | 8 October 1960 | 40 days | Army | 2nd Republic | |
| 6 | General Kim Jong-oh (1921–1966) | 8 October 1960 | 1 June 1963 | 2 years, 236 days | Army | 2nd Republic |
_Lieutenant_General_Yu_Jae-hung_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EC%A4%91%EC%9E%A5_%EC%9C%A0%EC%9E%AC%ED%9D%A5_(%EC%9D%B4%ED%9B%84%EB%9D%BD_%EC%96%91%EC%9C%A0%EC%B0%AC_%EC%9C%A0%EC%9E%AC%ED%9D%A5_%EC%96%91%EC%9C%A0%EC%B0%AC_%EB%B6%80%EC%9D%B8_%EA%B9%80%ED%98%95%EC%9D%BC).png)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
| No. | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Republic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Kim Jong-oh (1921–1966) | 1 June 1963 | 10 April 1965 | 1 year, 313 days | Army | 3rd Republic | |
| 2 | General Jang Chang-guk (1924–1996) | 10 April 1965 | 10 April 1967 | 2 years, 9 days | Army | 3rd Republic | |
| 3 | General Yim Chung-Shik (1922–1974) | 10 April 1967 | 5 August 1968 | 1 year, 117 days | Army | 3rd Republic | |
| 4 | General Moon Hyeung-tae (1922–2006) | 7 August 1968 | 6 August 1970 | 1 year, 364 days | Army | 3rd Republic | |
| 5 | General Sim Heung-sun (1925–1978) | 6 August 1970 | 2 June 1972 | 1 year, 301 days | Army | 3rd Republic | |
| 6 | General Han shin (1922–1996) | 2 June 1972 | 28 February 1975 | 2 years, 271 days | Army | 3rd Republic/ 4th Republic | |
| 7 | General Roh Jae-hyun (born 1926) | 28 February 1975 | 29 December 1975 | 2 years, 304 days | Army | 4th Republic | |
| 8 | General Kim Jong-hwan (born 1923) | 29 December 1975 | 15 December 1979 | 1 year, 351 days | Army | 4th Republic | |
| 9 | General Lew Byong-hyun (born 1924) | 15 December 1979 | 15 May 1981 | 1 year, 151 days | Army | 4th Republic | |
| 10 | General Yoon Sung-min (1926–2017) | 15 May 1981 | 21 May 1982 | 1 year, 6 days | Army | 5th Republic | |
| 11 | General Kim Yoon-ho (1930–2013) | 21 May 1982 | 3 June 1983 | 1 year, 13 days | Army | 5th Republic | |
| 12 | General Lee Gee-baek (born 1931) | 3 June 1983 | 3 June 1985 | 2 years, 0 days | Army | 5th Republic | |
| 13 | General Jung Jin-kwon | 3 June 1985 | 9 July 1986 | 1 year, 36 days | Army | 5th Republic | |
| 14 | General Oh Ja-bok (1930–2017) | 9 July 1986 | 30 December 1987 | 1 year, 174 days | Army | 5th Republic | |
| 15 | General Choi Sae-chang (born 1934) | 30 December 1987 | 14 April 1989 | 1 year, 105 days | Army | 5th Republic 6th Republic | |
| 16 | General Chung Ho-keun | 14 April 1989 | 7 December 1991 | 2 years, 237 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 17 | General Lee Phil-sup | 7 December 1991 | 29 May 1993 | 1 year, 173 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 18 | General Lee Yang-ho (born 1937) | 29 May 1993 | 24 December 1994 | 1 year, 209 days | Air Force | 6th Republic | |
| 19 | General Kim Dong-jin (born 1938) | 24 December 1994 | 18 October 1996 | 1 year, 299 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 20 | General Yoon Yeoug-nam (born 1940) | 18 October 1996 | 26 March 1998 | 1 year, 159 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 21 | General Kim Jin-ho | 26 March 1998 | 26 October 1999 | 1 year, 214 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 22 | General Cho Yung-kil (born 1940) | 26 October 1999 | 8 October 2001 | 1 year, 347 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 23 | General Lee Nam-shin | 8 October 2001 | 7 April 2003 | 1 year, 181 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 24 | General Kim Jong-hwan | 7 April 2003 | 7 April 2005 | 2 years, 0 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 25 | General Lee Sang-hee (born 1945) | 7 April 2005 | 17 November 2006 | 1 year, 224 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 26 | General Kim Kwan-jin (born 1949) | 17 November 2006 | 25 March 2008 | 1 year, 129 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 27 | General Kim Tae-young (born 1949) | 28 March 2008 | 23 September 2009 | 1 year, 182 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 28 | General Lee Sang-eui (born 1951) | 30 September 2009 | 30 June 2010 | 273 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 29 | General Han Min-goo (born 1951) | 30 June 2010 | 26 October 2011 | 1 year, 118 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 30 | General Jeong Seung-jo (born 1953) | 26 October 2011 | 16 October 2013 | 1 year, 355 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 31 | Admiral Choi Yoon-hee (born 1953) | 16 October 2013 | 7 October 2015 | 1 year, 356 days | Navy | 6th Republic | |
| 32 | General Lee Sun-jin (born 1954) | 7 October 2015 | 20 August 2017 | 1 year, 317 days | Army | 6th Republic | |
| 33 | General Jeong Kyeong-doo (born 1960) | 20 August 2017 | 21 September 2018 | 1 year, 32 days | Air Force | 6th Republic | |
| 34 | General Park Han-ki (born 1960) | 11 October 2018 | Incumbent | 1 year, 299 days | Army | 6th Republic |
_General_Kim_Yoon-ho_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EA%B9%80%EC%9C%A4%ED%98%B8_(DA-SC-84-02429).jpeg)
_General_Chung_Ho-keun_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EC%A0%95%ED%98%B8%EA%B7%BC_(Roh_Tae-woo_-_cropped%2C_1989-Mar-13_05).jpg)
_General_Cho_Yung-kil_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EC%A1%B0%EC%98%81%EA%B8%B8_(DF-SD-01-07141).jpeg)
_General_Lee_Nam-shin_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EC%9D%B4%EB%82%A8%EC%8B%A0_(Defense.gov_News_Photo_021205-D-9880W-059).jpg)
_General_Lee_Sang-hee_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EC%9D%B4%EC%83%81%ED%9D%AC_(Defense_Dept._photo_-_Chairman_Visits_U.S._Forces_Korea).jpg)
_General_Kim_Kwan-jin_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EA%B9%80%EA%B4%80%EC%A7%84_(US_Navy_071106-N-0696M-237).jpg)
_General_Lee_Sang-eui_(%EC%9D%B4%EC%83%81%EC%9D%98_%ED%95%A9%EC%B0%B8%EC%9D%98%EC%9E%A5_%EC%9D%B4%EC%B7%A8%EC%9E%84%EC%8B%9D_(7438790542)).jpg)
_General_Han_Min-goo_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%ED%95%9C%EB%AF%BC%EA%B5%AC_(%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EC%B0%B8%EB%AA%A8%EC%B4%9D%EC%9E%A5_%EC%9D%B4%EC%B7%A8%EC%9E%84%EC%8B%9D_(7438791748)).jpg)
_General_Jeong_Seung-jo_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EC%A0%95%EC%8A%B9%EC%A1%B0_(Defense.gov_photo_essay_111027-D-0193C-013).jpg)
_General_Jeong_Kyeong-doo_%EA%B3%B5%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EC%A0%95%EA%B2%BD%EB%91%90_(UNC-CFC-USFK_photo_170625-A-HU462-383).jpg)
_General_Park_Han-ki_%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EB%8C%80%EC%9E%A5_%EB%B0%95%ED%95%9C%EA%B8%B0_(US_Army_photo_170922-A-KM000-001_Battle_of_Nakdong_Ceremony).jpg)
References
- ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Previous Chairmen". ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
External links
- R.O.K. Joint Chiefs of Staff (Official Website) (in English)
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| Academy and School | |
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