The Strategic Command to which President Yoon awarded the unit flag is

Integrated Command of Our Military's Strategic Assets Including Hyunmoo Series Ballistic Missiles

President Yoon Suk-yeol awarded the Strategic Command unit flag to Strategic Commander Jin Young-seung at the ‘76th Armed Forces Day’ ceremony held at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 1st. President Yoon encouraged that the newly established Strategic Command would become a core force in protecting the nation and its people from North Korea’s nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In his commemorative speech, President Yoon also delivered a strong warning message against North Korea’s nuclear provocations. He made it clear that if North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, that day would be the ‘end of the regime.’ Last year, at the Armed Forces Day ceremony, President Yoon also warned that if North Korea attempted to use nuclear weapons, it would face overwhelming responses from the ROK-US alliance.

The Strategic Command was selected as a national agenda item by the current government in May 2022, after which preparations for its establishment were intensified, and it was established after two years and five months. The Ministry of National Defense held the inauguration ceremony a day earlier than the official establishment date (October 1), which is a holiday for Armed Forces Day. The ceremony took place on the afternoon of the 30th at the Namtaeryeong Garrison of the Capital Defense Command in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, where the Strategic Command is located.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Myung-soo, Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and U.S. Forces Korea Commander Paul LaCamera, among other senior military officials. In his congratulatory speech, Minister Kim said, "The establishment of the Strategic Command is our military’s strong will to actively realize ‘peace through strength’ with a robust defense capability," adding, "If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, it will face the end of its regime based on the overwhelming power of the ROK-US alliance."

The first Strategic Commander is Lieutenant General Jin Young-seung (Air Force Academy Class 39). He has served as commander of the Air Force 19th Fighter Wing, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Operations Division 2, chief of the Air Force Headquarters Informatization Planning Staff, commander of the Air Combat Command, chief of the Air Force Headquarters Planning and Management Staff, and director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Strategic Planning Headquarters. In May, he was appointed as the head of the Strategic Command establishment preparation team.

The Strategic Command integrates the command of the ROK military’s strategic assets, including Hyunmoo-series ballistic missiles, stealth fighters, and 3,000-ton class submarines. It also serves as the counterpart to the U.S. Strategic Command, which controls intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), cooperating with U.S. forces to discuss and lead the development and training of the ROK-US nuclear and conventional integrated command and control (CNI) system.

The Ministry of National Defense explained, "By establishing the Strategic Command in line with the 76th Armed Forces Day, we have demonstrated to our citizens, the international community, and North Korea the overwhelming might of our military and our determination to respond to North Korean nuclear threats."