Special Forces Brigades of the Republic of Korea

The Special Forces Brigades of the Republic of Korea (ROK) are six special forces brigades and one oversea deployment group under the command and control of the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command (ROK-SWC; Korean: 대한민국 육군 특수전사령부; Hanja: 大韓民國陸軍 特殊戰司令部). These units were modelled after United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets).

Members of the brigades receive special training for various unconventional warfare missions.[1] These seven units are part of ROK Special Forces, founded in 1958 and fall under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command, which was created in 1969.[2] ROK special forces brigades main tasks include guerrilla warfare, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, direct action, collecting information in enemy territory and conducting special missions.[3]

Special Operations Command Korea

Relationship with SOCKOR

The members of the ROK Special Forces Brigades train and work in close partnership with members of the United States Special Operations Forces in defense of the Republic of Korea. U.S. SOF in Korea are under the command and control of Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR) which is a sub-unified command assigned under the Combatant Command (COCOM) of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and further delegated to the Operational Command of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) Commander.[4]

Special Forces Brigades

Volunteers for these brigades undergo training in high skilled weapon handling and parachuting as well as the regular physical and psychological tests. All weapons and equipment used by the ROK special forces are South Korea, U.S., German, and others products.[5] Although ROK Special Forces Brigades consist purely of volunteer soldiers,[6] they have to reach certain requirements such as achieving a black belt in Taekwondo or any similar martial art.[7] Battalions of ROK Special Forces Brigades are frequently used for destruction of tactical targets.[8] Normal uniform is a camouflage combat suit and ROK Special Forces distinguish icon are their black berets with the SF badge in silver.[9] The usual distribution of the ROK Special Forces Brigades is one battalion per each Army corps and each unit is capable of using either continuous guerrilla operations or single operations, whether or not they find themselves on friendly or enemy territory.[10]

Each of the seven ROK Special Forces Brigades have their own mascot.[11] They are:

  1. 1st Special Forces Brigade (Eagle)
  2. 3rd Special Forces Brigade (Flying Tiger)
  3. Oversea Deployment Group (Whole World) (Formerly 5th Special Mission Group 'Black Dragon')
  4. 7th Special Forces Brigade (Pegasus)
  5. 9th Special Forces Brigade (Ghost)
  6. 11th Special Forces Brigade (Golden Bat)
  7. 13th Special Mission Brigade (Black Panther) (Formerly 13th Special Forces Brigade)

1st Special Forces Brigade

Founded on April 1, 1958 under the name of 1st Combat Group. This was the original unit of the ROK Special Forces.[12] In October 1958, it adopted the name of 1st Special Forces Group. And in September 1972 it became 1st Special Forces Brigade. The former commander of the 1st Special Forces Brigade, Chun Doo Hwan, served as President of Korea from 1980-1987.[13] Its special pocket patch emblem is the Eagle.[14]

3rd Special Forces Brigade

Founded on January 18, 1969 under the name of 1st Ranger Brigade. On September 10, 1972 it adopted the name of 3rd Special Forces Brigade. It is well known among the other brigades for its excellence in Tae Kwon Do.[15] Its special pocket patch emblem is the Flying Tiger.[16]

Oversea Deployment Group

Founded on February 17, 1969 under the name of 2nd Ranger Brigade. On September 10, 1972 it was re-designated to 5th Special Forces Brigade. And in 2000 it adopted the name of Special Missions Group.[17] Its special pocket patch emblem is the Black Dragon.[18] In 2010, it became Oversea Deployment Group. The group consists of around 1,000 members.[19]

7th Special Forces Brigade

Founded on October 1, 1974. This unit is known for its HALO Jumping abilities. The 7th Special Forces Brigade maintains one of the only usable year-round Drop Zone.[20] Its special pocket patch emblem is the Flying Horse or Pegasus.[21]

9th Special Forces Brigade

Founded on October 1, 1974, along with the 7th Special Forces Brigade. One former 9th special Forces Brigade Commander, Roh Tae-woo, served as President of the Republic of Korea from 1987-1992.[22] Its special pocket patch emblem is the Ghost.[23]

11th Special Forces Brigade

Founded on October 1, 1977.[24] Its special pocket patch emblem is the Golden Bat.[25]

13th Special Mission Brigade

The 13th Special Forces Brigade was founded on October 1, 1977 along with the 11th Special Forces Brigade.[26] Its special pocket patch emblem is the Black Panther.[27] On Dec. 1, 2017, the 13th Special Forces Brigade was reorganized into the 13th Special Mission Brigade.

US Army 51006 ROK, U.S. hold first ever Army-to-Army staff talks

707th Special Mission Battalion
See also: 707th Special Mission Battalion

Founded late in 1981 under the Executive Order of the President of the Republic of Korea as world-class Counter-terrorist force with the goal to support Domestic and International Counter-terrorist agencies.[28] The hostage-taking situation of the 1972 Summer Olympics was key for the development of such unit in which Palestinian guerrillas belonging to the Black September organization took eleven Israeli athletes as hostages.[29][30] With their headquarters in Seongnam (성남), a suburb southeast of Seoul, members from 707th Special Mission Battalion are distinguished from other soldiers by their unique black berets. All operators of the 707th receive a full year of special training; six months of basic infantry combat skills and another six months of special warfare training. Every member of the 707th is SCUBA and parachute qualified.[31]

See also

References
  1. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. pp. 72–73.
  2. "www.sfaxiii.org".
  3. "usnavyseals.com".
  4. ^ SOCOM 2013 Fact Book, "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-02-14. Retrieved 2017-06-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. It is not known precisely mostly
  6. "usnavyseals.com".
  7. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  8. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  9. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  10. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  11. "Shadow Spear Special Operations".
  12. "sfaxiii.org".
  13. "sfaxiii.org".
  14. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  15. "sfaxiii.org".
  16. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  17. "sfaxiii.org".
  18. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  19. "Military launches unit for overseas deployment". The Korea Herald. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  20. "sfaxiii.org".
  21. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  22. "sfaxiii.org".
  23. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  24. "sfaxiii.org".
  25. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  26. "sfaxiii.org".
  27. Bonds, Miller, Ray, David (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 73.
  28. Bonds, Ray (2003). Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. MBI Publishing Company. p. 72.
  29. Reeve, Simon (22 January 2006). "Olympics Massacre: The real story". The Independent.
  30. "sfaxiii.org".
  31. "Discover Special Forces".
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