South Korea quietly completed three major events in August this year, which attracted international attention. First of all, on August 13, South Korea officially put into use the self-developed "Jang Bo Gao III" class "Shimasan Ahn Chang Ho" submarine. With a displacement of up to 3750 tons, this ballistic missile submarine has significant military capabilities. It has a total length of 83.5 meters, a width of 9.6 meters, a maximum underwater speed of 20 knots, can carry a crew of 50 ships, is equipped with mines, missiles and other weapons, and can lurk underwater for more than 20 days. According to reports, the combat system and sonar system of the submarine are both developed by the country, and the localization rate has reached 76%. It is worth mentioning that before the "Dosan Ahn Chang-ho" was put into service, South Korea also successfully launched a "Basalt-2B" submarine-launched ballistic missile from the submarine on July 4, making South Korea the eighth country in the world to possess a submarine-launched ballistic missile. Given South Korea's geographical location, the ability of such a missile with a range of up to 600 km is enough to pose a threat to neighboring countries.
Second, on August 16, the ROK-US joint military exercise officially kicked off. Although this annual military exercise has always attracted much attention, this military exercise has caused widespread controversy at home and abroad. There have even been some voices in South Korean political circles about whether to postpone or cancel the military exercises, especially on the issue of "North-South relations," and even within the ruling party. However, under intense pressure from the Pentagon, the South Korean government finally announced that it would conduct military exercises as originally planned. Unusually, the nature of the exercise has changed significantly due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic. Different from its traditional live-fire maneuver exercise, this military exercise was conducted in the form of a computer-simulated exercise. Moreover, the exercise also involved a striking element that simulated the transfer of operational command from the US military stationed in South Korea to the South Korean side. This means that in this military exercise, the South Korean side actually has operational command. For South Korea, this marks a historic breakthrough, as operational command has been in the hands of the United States since the founding of the country. The move suggests that the United States is considering handing more power back to South Korea, and it also echoes the context of Moon's visit to the United States and his meeting with President Biden in the previous months. The United States has also taken the initiative to lift restrictions on the range of South Korean missiles in an attempt to win South Korea's support. Such a move will undoubtedly attract the attention of neighboring countries, especially Japan, as the United States recently demanded an increase in military spending by $12.4 billion, and South Korea appears to have gained an advantage in enlisting U.S. support.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense on August 17 proposed a series of defense reform plans, collectively known as the Future Defense Innovation Program. These reform programmes include the reformulation of the defence strategy, the development and procurement of innovative military technologies, and the reorganization of subsidiary agencies and departments of the Ministry of Defence. These plans are widely seen as aimed at achieving "national defense autonomy" and regaining wartime command, and are a new step in South Korea's pursuit of independent national defense. In fact, as early as Moon Jae-in's rise to power in 2017, South Korea developed a "Defense Reform 2.0" plan, which aimed to increase defense spending to achieve the goal of autonomous defense. South Korea's defense spending has increased year by year since 2019, reaching $45.4 billion in 2020. According to the "2021-2025 Medium-Term National Defense Plan" released by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea, South Korea's total defense spending will reach 300.7 trillion won in the next five years, with an average annual growth rate of 6.1%. By comparison, Japan's average annual growth rate in military spending is only 1.3 percent. According to experts' forecasts, according to current trends, South Korea is expected to overtake Japan in 2026 and become the number one military partner of the United States in the East Asian region.
South Korea's ambitions are clear, but achieving national autonomy is not something that can be achieved simply by increasing defense spending. It remains to be seen whether South Korea will succeed in achieving this goal. This series of major events shows that South Korea is actively adjusting its defense policy to adapt to changes in the international situation and play a more important role in the region
role. These changes have had a profound impact not only on South Korea's own defense capabilities, but also on the geopolitical landscape of East Asia.
First of all, the entry of South Korea's powerful submarine-launched ballistic missile submarine "Dosan Ahn Chang-ho" puts it in a more advantageous position in regional military competition. The submarine has a ballistic missile launch capability with a range of up to 600 kilometers and is capable of covering the surrounding area. South Korea's military capabilities have been significantly enhanced, which is critical to addressing regional security challenges and safeguarding national interests. At the same time, it also sends a clear signal to neighboring countries that South Korea has a strong defense capability that cannot be ignored.
Second, the U.S. move to transfer operational command to South Korea marks a realignment of the U.S. in regional security affairs. This move brings greater sovereignty and autonomy to South Korea, allowing it to participate more actively in regional security affairs. South Korea's status and role are gradually being recognized, which is one of the foreign policy successes of the Moon Jae-in administration. However, this change could also trigger concerns and reactions from other countries in the region, especially those with historical and geopolitical disputes with South Korea.
Finally, South Korea is increasing its defense spending and is committed to improving its defense autonomy. This increase in military spending has enabled South Korea to play a more important role in international military cooperation, and has also gradually raised its military status in the region. At the same time, security cooperation between South Korea and the United States has become increasingly close, making it a key force for regional stability. However, as South Korea builds its military capabilities, it also needs to be cautious about navigating complex geopolitical challenges in the region, especially sensitive issues with its neighbors.
In conclusion, South Korea's role in international affairs is changing significantly, and the improvement of its defense capabilities and the adjustment of the regional geopolitical landscape will have far-reaching implications in the future. South Korea's efforts to achieve national defense autonomy and safeguard its national interests are a matter of course, but it also needs to maintain good diplomatic relations with neighboring countries to ensure regional peace and stability. Regional security cooperation will continue to be an important issue in East Asia, and South Korea will play an increasingly important role in it.
South Korea's major events in August attracted widespread attention, and these events had a profound impact on the international geopolitical landscape and South Korea's own national defense strategy. In this article, we will analyze these events in depth and draw some profound insights from them.
First of all, let's pay attention to the submarine "Shimasan Ahn Chang-ho" of the "Jang Bo-go III" class successfully developed by South Korea. The commissioning of this ballistic missile submarine marks a significant advance in the military-technical field of South Korea. It has powerful firepower and diving capabilities, is equipped with mines, missiles and other weapons, and can lurk underwater for more than 20 days. This shows that South Korea is no longer relying on external countries to meet its defense needs, but relying on its own technology and R&D capabilities. This achievement provides a powerful lesson for other countries that national defense autonomy and technological innovation are key to ensuring national security.
Secondly, military exercises with the United States began to spark a series of discussions. There were voices within South Korean politics about whether to postpone or cancel the exercises, but in the end it was decided to go ahead with the schedule. However, the exercise used computer simulations instead of traditional maneuver exercises. What is even more remarkable is that the operational command was handed over to South Korea in this military exercise, which marks the willingness of the United States to delinquish power, and it is also a historic breakthrough for South Korea since the founding of the country. This change underscores South Korea's determination to safeguard its sovereignty and regional stability.
South Korea's military spending has also attracted widespread attention. South Korea has proposed the Future Defense Innovation Program, which aims to pursue defense autonomy and strengthen defense capabilities. This plan includes the reformulation of the National Defense Strategy, the development and procurement of innovative military technologies, and the restructuring of subsidiary bodies and departments of the Ministry of Defence. These initiatives demonstrate the importance that South Korea attaches to national security and demonstrate its willingness to work towards national defense independence. At the same time, South Korea's military spending is also increasing, and the total military spending is expected to reach 3,007 trillion won in the next five years, with an average annual growth rate of 61%. This puts South Korea on track to overtake Japan as the main U.S. military ally in East Asia in the coming years.
These events have some important implications for us. First, national defense autonomy and technological innovation are key to ensuring national security. South Korea has demonstrated its ambition and strength in the field of military technology by independently developing ballistic missile submarines and developing future defense innovation plans. Other countries can learn from this by reducing their dependence on external suppliers and improving their own defense capabilities.
Second, changes in the international geopolitical landscape have a profound impact on a country's defense strategy. The willingness of the United States to transfer operational command to South Korea marks the evolution of international relations. It is also a reminder that international cooperation and diplomatic efforts are essential to maintaining peace in the region. Countries should actively engage in multilateral cooperation to jointly address challenges and threats.
Finally, national security depends not only on military force, but also on economic, political, and diplomatic factors. South Korea has diversified its national security strategy by increasing military spending while actively participating in international diplomacy. This integrated approach should serve as a reference for other countries. National security is a complex issue that requires comprehensive solutions.
In conclusion, South Korea's major events in August have attracted widespread attention, and these events have had a profound impact on the international geopolitical landscape and the country's national defense strategy. We can draw from this the importance of defense autonomy and technological innovation, changes in international relations, and the need for a comprehensive national security strategy. These implications are important for all countries to better address current and future challenges.