"I didn't know the training would be this intense"
89 cadets commissioned in the 139th Navy class... Lee Jiho leads the corps
Lee Jae-yong, Hong Ra-hee, and Lee Seo-hyun attend as cheers erupt from the family section
After giving up U.S. citizens
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is applauding toward the podium as the name of his eldest son, Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho, is called at the commissioning ceremony for the 139th class of Naval Officer Candidates. His mother, Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of the Samsung Museum of Art Leeum, and his sister, Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T Corporation, also applauded together to celebrate the commissioning. Photo by Paek Jongmin
On November 28, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong applauded toward the podium as the name of his eldest son, Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho, was called at the commissioning ceremony for the 139th class of Naval Officer Candidates. His mother, Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of the Samsung Museum of Art Leeum, and his sister, Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T Corporation, who were seated together in the family section, also joined in the applause to celebrate the commissioning. Cheers erupted from the surrounding seats as well.
Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho is commanding all the cadets on behalf of the entire group. A naval official stated that the selection was based on his harmonious relationships with peers during the training period, as well as his excellent attitude and active participation in education. Paek Jongmin, Tech Specialist
The 139th class of Navy and Marine Corps Officer Candidates held their graduation and commissioning ceremony on this day at the parade ground of the Republic of Korea Naval Academy in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, presided over by Navy Chief of Staff Kang Donggil. A total of 89 candidates, including 75 for the Navy and 14 for the Marine Corps, including Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho, were officially commissioned as officers. Approximately 1,300 people, including the families of the newly commissioned officers and key commanders, attended the event.
Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho was selected to command all the cadets on behalf of the group. A Navy official explained that he was chosen because he maintained harmonious relationships with his peers during training, and demonstrated excellent attitude and active participation in education.
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is applauding toward the podium as the name of his eldest son, Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho, is called at the commissioning ceremony for the 139th class of Naval Officer Candidates. His mother, Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of the Samsung Museum of Art Leeum, and his sister, Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T Corporation, also applauded together to celebrate the commissioning. Photo by Paek Jongmin
Second Lieutenant Lee previously held dual citizenship in Korea and the United States, but renounced his U.S. citizenship in order to serve as a Navy officer. Even before enlisting, there was public interest in how he would fulfill his military duty, and at the entrance ceremony in September, he expressed his intention to serve as an interpreter officer.
When asked whether he was aware in advance of the cold weather and the intensity of the training, Chairman Lee replied, "I didn't know," adding that the process appeared to be more demanding than expected. He also stated that his son had volunteered for enlistment, saying, "He said he wanted to go. I believe he learned a lot through this process."
Second Lieutenant Lee Jiho is taking a commemorative photo with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and grandmother Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of Samsung Museum of Art Leeum, immediately after the commissioning ceremony. Photo by Paek Jongmin
The 139th class of officer candidates enlisted on September 15, and after initial training, completed 11 weeks of main education focused on mental and physical strength, military knowledge, and leadership skills. At the commissioning ceremony, Second Lieutenant Park Soeun and Second Lieutenant Cho Minkyu received the Minister of National Defense Award.
According to a Navy official, the position of group commander is determined through a combination of votes among the candidates and evaluations by instructors, reflecting a process in which the candidates themselves participate in the selection. It was reported that Second Lieutenant Lee, having spent a long time abroad, was not accustomed to the Korean-style testing environment, which put him at a disadvantage in achieving top grades.
In front of the Naval Academy, the Navy deployed the Aegis destroyer Sejong the Great, a large transport ship, and a submarine to celebrate the start of the new officers' careers. In his congratulatory address, Navy Chief of Staff Kang Donggil called for dedication to the nation and its people.
Since its introduction in 1948, the Officer Candidate School system has produced about 25,000 officers. After commissioning, the new officers undergo basic military training for their respective branches before being assigned to operational units to carry out national defense duties.
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