502 Army Officer Candidates Commissioned... 2 Descendants of 6·25 War Veterans

Second Lieutenant Jeong Mingyu

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]502 elite Army officers, including two descendants of Korean War veterans, will be commissioned as second lieutenants.

The Army announced that on the 25th at 2 p.m., an integrated commissioning ceremony for 478 ROTC officers (66th class) and 24 non-commissioned officers (42nd class) will be held at the Army Cadet Military School in Goesan, Chungbuk, presided over by Army Chief of Staff Nam Young-shin.

They underwent 14 weeks (for non-commissioned officers) or 16 weeks (for ROTC officers) of training in combat studies, combat technology, military science, and a comprehensive commissioning evaluation at the Army Cadet Military School.

Among the new officers, many come from families that have protected the Republic of Korea for generations.

Second Lieutenants Jeong Min-gyu (photo) and Son Yong-seok are descendants of Korean War veterans, marking the 71st anniversary of the war’s outbreak. Second Lieutenant Jeong’s grandfather, Jeong Geun-sik (92), served in the Korean War and was discharged as a second lieutenant, while Second Lieutenant Son’s maternal grandfather was the late Private Hong Ki-pal, a war veteran.

Second Lieutenant Lee Min-ji is the third generation in her family to pursue a military career, following her grandfather and father. Second Lieutenants Kim Min-jun and Lee Kyu-bin will follow in their fathers’ footsteps as Army officers. Second Lieutenant Shin Hyun-gyu, who served as a private and then applied to become a professional sergeant, will hold three different military service numbers.

At the commissioning ceremony, Second Lieutenant Kim Se-hoon will receive the President’s Award, and Second Lieutenant Park Dae-san will receive the Prime Minister’s Award.

Second Lieutenant Kim Se-hoon said, "It is an honor to receive such a prestigious award on behalf of everyone. I will not be complacent and will complete the given mission with humility."

Considering the COVID-19 situation, the event will be held without family members or external guests. The Army will livestream the ceremony on YouTube for families who cannot attend.