When discussing the armed forces of the Republic of Korea, it's important to remember that the country is still formally at war with its neighbor, North Korea (DPRK). North Korea recently withdrew from the ceasefire ( not peace!) signed between the two countries in 1953 following the escalation of tensions following the sinking of the corvette Cheonan in March 2010, which resulted in the deaths of 46 of its crew.

Relations between the two Korean states have never been friendly. It's worth remembering that North Korea, having launched the so-called Korean War of 1950-1953, quickly and literally crushed the then-fledgling South Korean army. South Korea controlled only a small area of ​​territory, including the city of Busan , and without the intervention of the United States and the UN, the defeat would have been complete. South Korea remembers this and is doing everything possible to learn from those events.

In the subsequent history of relations on the Korean Peninsula, one can recall the tunnels dug by the North beneath the demilitarized zone, discovered by South Korea. These tunnels were wide enough to accommodate armored vehicles in the event of war. These tunnels are now shown to tourist groups on tours near the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. According to the South, terrorists sent from the North attempted to assassinate South Korean presidents at least three times—in 1968, 1974, and 1982. Seoul installed special loudspeakers along the border broadcasting propaganda programs. Incidentally, following the sinking of its corvette, South Korea announced it would resume this practice, to which Pyongyang immediately responded that such devices would be destroyed with firearms. In short, peace hangs by a thread. Both sides make no secret of their main enemy, so special attention is paid to the armed forces, and no expense is spared. The Republic of Korea's annual military budget is approximately $30 billion. However, all the facts and figures presented in this article should be taken with great caution for at least two reasons. First, information quickly becomes outdated, especially in the context of a rapidly escalating confrontation. Second, states typically keep such information under wraps; it is typically taken from indirect, independent sources and may be inaccurate and incomplete.

The United States has had a significant influence on the development of the South Korean armed forces. The structure of the armed forces, military regulations, and training methods all bear American influence. Like the United States, Korea has three, relatively independent, branches of the armed forces: the army, the air force, and the navy. The armed forces are headed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which serves as the general staff. The Ministry of Defense in the Republic of Korea is a civilian organization that handles the budget, personnel matters, and procurement of the armed forces. South Korea also has a border guard and civil defense units.

Currently, there are approximately 700,000 military personnel in South Korea. Of these, approximately 560,000 serve in the ground forces, making up the army. It's important to emphasize that the army in the Republic of Korea is conscripted, not contracted or hired. Every male citizen over 20 years old is required to serve for two to two and a half years, depending on family circumstances and the branch of the armed forces. Due to the real threats the country faces on a permanent basis, avoiding military service is completely unacceptable. University studies do not provide deferments, and health reasons rarely do.

 In 2005, Rossiyskaya Gazeta correspondent Oleg Kiryanov was granted permission by the Ministry of Defense to visit the Republic of Korea Army Academy to study the recruit training process. The journalist was surprised by several things. For example, the cadets were initially given light physical training, which was gradually increased. The military explains this by saying that the South Korean education system forces high school students to spend a great deal of time studying. Even sleep can leave them with only four to six hours. Because there's little time for physical training, recruits generally arrive at the academy very frail. To protect their health and prevent them from becoming disinclined for military service, the training load is gradually increased. The journalist was also surprised by the complete absence of punishments such as "out-of-turn duty," the almost complete absence of drills, and the "reveille" drills, which require them to get dressed in 45 seconds. However, recruits are trained to dress in complete darkness in case of a power outage, and infractions are punished only with additional physical training. The academy's admission rules stipulate that women must make up 10% of all recruits. This means that each unit (10 people) must have a woman. Moreover, the competition for admission to the academy among women is much higher: 25 applicants per spot, compared to 10 for men. It should be noted that the academy's graduates are the elite of South Korean society. Since its inception, its graduates have included (as of 2005) three presidents, three prime ministers, 167 ministers and their deputies, 99 members of parliament, 44 ambassadors, and approximately seven hundred high-ranking government officials.

Regarding the military's technical equipment, it's worth recalling that in the summer of 2009, South Korea completed construction of its first spaceport, and by August, its first artificial satellite was launched into orbit. Both the satellite and the launch vehicle were manufactured in Korea (the launch vehicle, with Russian participation). Although the launch wasn't entirely successful, the satellite was nevertheless launched into orbit, and South Korea joined the family of spacefaring nations. It has its own space program, which undoubtedly speaks to the country's level of rocket technology development. South Korea plans to send its first probe into lunar orbit by 2020, and to the lunar surface by 2025.

The ground forces are armed with 2490 armored personnel carriers, 2130 tanks, 3500 non-self-propelled guns, and 900 self-propelled guns. The ground forces consist of 22 infantry and motorized infantry divisions and several independent brigades, including seven special forces brigades, three counter-special forces brigades, and three air defense brigades. Naturally, a large portion of the armed forces is concentrated near the border with North Korea. Of all the tanks in service, 1250 are American (M-47 and M-48), 800 are produced in South Korea (Type 88), and 80 are Russian (T-80). South Korea has recently shown interest in purchasing weapons from Russia, but this, naturally, has not met with approval from the American side.

South Korea's aviation fleet consists primarily of modern American equipment, although the South Korean government has recently sought to establish domestic aircraft production. South Korea has 11 main and 49 auxiliary airbases, as well as 14 dual-use airfields. The Korean Air Force operates 460 combat aircraft and helicopters, including 195 F-5 fighters and 60 F-16 fighters (some assembled in Korea). South Korea also has 143 combat helicopters and a significant number of transport helicopters in its ground forces, as well as an independent naval aviation force. According to recent reports, the Americans are planning to deliver an additional 12 F-15E fighters to South Korea in the near future to strengthen its defense capabilities. Incidentally, women in Korea are enrolled not only in the Army Academy but also in the Air Force Academy.

Korea has been actively developing its navy in recent years. It comprises more than 20 submarines and 69 surface combatants. In 2007, the helicopter carrier Dokdo entered service. It is 200 meters long, has a full displacement of 19 tons, and can carry 15 helicopters. It is the largest warship of its class in the region. It also has the potential to carry carrier-based fighters such as the F-35B and Harrier, which feature short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. Another such ship is planned for service. Korea is also establishing its own submarine production. Hyundai shipyards are building Type 214 diesel submarines under German license, three of which have already been launched, and six are on order. The Type 214 submarines can stay submerged for two weeks, thanks to a state-of-the-art air-independent propulsion system. The Type 214 has a displacement of 1700 tons, a length of 202 feet, and a crew of 27. The boat is equipped with four torpedo tubes.