Military Commanders Named
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Gen. Kim Tae-young, 59, chief of the 1st Army Command, was named chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Monday. If confirmed, Kim will replace Gen. Kim Kwan-jin.
His appointment is subject to a confirmation hearing by a National Assembly committee, which can deliver a non-binding opinion.
In the first reshuffle of top military brass since President Lee Myung-bak took office Feb. 25, which affected seven of nine four-star generals, Lt. Gen. Lim Choung-bin, 58, superintendent of the Korea Military Academy, was appointed Army chief of staff.
Vice Adm. Jung Ok-keun, 56, chief of the Naval Education and Training Command, was appointed chief of Naval Operations, the Ministry of National Defense announced.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Eun-ki retained his post.
Lt. Gen. Lee Sung-chool, 59, chief director of strategic planning for the JCS, was named deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC). Lee has been in charge of taking over wartime operational control of Korean troops from the U.S. military.
Lt. Gen. Kim Geun-tai, 56, chief director of operations for the JCS, was nominated to head the 1st Army Command, while Cho Jae-to, 61, chief director of personnel management and logistics for the JCS, was selected to lead the 2nd Army Command.
Lt. Gen. Lee Sang-eui, 57, chief of an ad hoc panel on the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the South Korean military's founding, was named commander of the 3rd Army Command.
``Today's nominations are part of efforts to lay the groundwork for building a stronger, elite Armed Forces,'' the ministry said in a news release.
President Lee will appoint the top generals once the nominations are endorsed during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
A graduate of the Korea Military Academy (Class of '73), new JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Tae-young served as field commander, liaison officer and chief policy and operations planner at the ministry and the JCS.
Before taking over the 1st Army Command responsible for the defense of the country's eastern border, he served as chief director of operations for the JCS under the command of then-JCS Chairman Lee Sang-hee, the current defense minister.