Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Promoted to General After 16 Years... Kang Ho-pil Appointed Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

On the 22nd, the government decided to promote Kang Ho-pil (Lieutenant General of the Army), Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to General and appoint him as the Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This is the first time in 16 years since 2008 that the Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been promoted from Lieutenant General to General.

The Ministry of National Defense announced, "We have decided to promote Lieutenant General Kang Ho-pil, the current Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to General and appoint him as the Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," adding, "Following the Cabinet meeting on the 23rd, the President, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will officially appoint him."

Lieutenant General Kang Ho-pil is an expert in joint operations and crisis management, having served as Commander of the 1st Army Corps, Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Commander of the 1st Infantry Division. The Ministry of National Defense explained the background of the appointment, stating, "He possesses the military expertise and drive necessary to firmly establish military readiness amid security situations such as North Korea's nuclear and missile threats," and "He also has the capability to assist the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in consolidating military morale through joint force and surveillance asset management, as well as coordination and control of joint units."