Ryu Byung-hyun, First Deputy Commander of ROK-US Combined Forces Command, Passes Away at 96

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu]Retired Army General Ryu Byung-hyun, who served as the inaugural Deputy Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command and the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has passed away at the age of 96.

Born in 1924 in Cheongju, Chungbuk, the late general was commissioned as an Army Second Lieutenant (Korea Military Academy Class 7) in November 1948. He held various positions including Commander of the 15th Infantry Division, Commander of the Vietnamese Mengho Division, Commander of the 5th Corps, Deputy Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

While serving as Commander of the 5th Corps, he led operations to detect North Korean tunnels and discovered the "Second Tunnel." Having experienced the importance of ROK-US combined operations through the Korean War and the Vietnam War, he is credited with leading the establishment of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command in 1978, according to Joint Chiefs of Staff officials.

In recognition of his dedication to the nation and the military, he was awarded the Mugunghwa Medal for Military Merit, the Eunseong Medal for Military Merit, the Chungmu Medal, and the Vietnam Entry Medal for Military Merit, among others.

General Robert Abrams, Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, expressed his condolences on the day, stating, "On behalf of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, I extend my sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the family and acquaintances of General Ryu Byung-hyun, who passed away today."

Commander Abrams emphasized, "General Ryu served as the first Deputy Commander of the Combined Forces Command in 1978 and laid the foundation for the Combined Forces Command as it exists today. He also served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, contributing to strengthening the ROK-US alliance as a key figure in Northeast Asian security." He added, "We will all truly never forget General Ryu Byung-hyun."

He is survived by his wife, Yang Jeong-hee, and four sons. The funeral will be held as a Joint Chiefs of Staff funeral, with the funeral hall set up at Seoul Asan Medical Center. The burial ceremony will take place on the 25th at Daejeon National Cemetery.