Marine Corps Second Lieutenant Who Enlisted Following His Brother

Marine Corps Second Lieutenant Hwang Ji-young (left), who became a Marine officer following his two older brothers, and Navy Second Lieutenant Choi Seung-jun (right), from a family with a 70-year tradition of military service spanning three generations, are taking a commemorative photo in front of the Admiral Son Won-il Memorial Plaque at the Naval Academy.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] On the afternoon of the 29th, the Navy held the commissioning ceremony for the 128th class of Naval Academy officers and Marine Corps second lieutenants, presided over by Chief of Naval Operations Bu Seok-jong.

The ceremony attracted attention due to many cases of military service continuing through generations. Among the officers commissioned this time, there are a total of 36 descendants of veterans who participated in the Korean War.

There are also descendants of Korean War veterans (36 people) and distinguished military service families. Navy Second Lieutenant Choi Seung-jun (22, ship division) has both his grandfather and maternal grandfather as Korean War veterans, and his father served in the Army ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) 28th class, retiring as a major after serving in the Special Forces. The combined military service period of his father’s five brothers and seven cousins totals 70 years. Lieutenant Choi said, "I am proud to be a member of the Navy," and pledged, "I will dedicate myself to further elevating the honor of our distinguished military service family and become an officer who practices courage."

Navy Second Lieutenant Kim Kyung-tae (23, information and communications) is the grandson of the late Colonel Kim Dong-yoon, a founding member of the Marine Corps. His grandfather, a first-generation Marine officer candidate (predecessor of officer candidates), participated as an artillery squad leader in numerous battles during the Korean War, including the Incheon Landing Operation and the Battle of Dosolsan. He was awarded the Museong Chungmu Military Merit Medal in 1952 and the Geumseong Chungmu Military Merit Medal in 1954. Lieutenant Kim expressed his ambition, saying, "Following in my grandfather’s footsteps, I will be loyal to the country and contribute to the integration of the Navy and Marine Corps."

Navy Second Lieutenant Park Dong-gyu (23, engineering) chose the same branch as his grandfather, engineering. His grandfather, the late Captain Park Mu-dong, enlisted as an Army engineering officer during the Korean War while attending Konkuk University Law School. He contributed to the construction of the Nonsan Army Training Center and was awarded the Hwarang Military Merit Medal.

In the case of Marine Second Lieutenant Hwang Ji-young (22, artillery), his father retired as a Marine sergeant, his eldest brother is Marine Captain Hwang Bo-young, and his younger brother is Marine Captain Hwang Jae-young.

At the commissioning ceremony, Navy Second Lieutenant Park Jong-hyun (24) and Marine Second Lieutenant Kim Ye-chan (22) received the Minister of National Defense Award, while Navy Second Lieutenant Kim Myung-jae (22) and Marine Second Lieutenant Jo Sung-jae (22) received the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Award. Navy Second Lieutenant Gong Moon-jo (29) and Marine Second Lieutenant Yoo Jun-geol (25) were awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Award, and Navy Second Lieutenant Jung Dong-yoon (22) and Marine Second Lieutenant Baek Young-hoon (22) received the Naval Academy Superintendent Award and the Marine Corps Commandant Award, respectively. To celebrate the commissioning of the new lieutenants, destroyers, landing support ships, logistics support ships, mine warfare ships, and submarines formed a welcoming formation. There were also aerial reviews by maritime patrol aircraft and maritime operation helicopters, maritime fast rope descents by Navy Special Warfare Operators (UDT/SEAL), naval fast boat reviews, and demonstrations of amphibious maneuvers by KAAVs (Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles).