Korea Army Academy at Yeongcheon Commissioning Ceremony... 305 New Second Lieutenants Commissioned

The Korea Army Academy at Yeongcheon (hereinafter referred to as the 3rd Academy) held the commissioning and graduation ceremony for its 61st class on the 25th at the Chungseong Parade Ground on campus in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, with Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Doohee presiding.

According to the Army, the 305 cadets (including 51 women) of the 61st class who were commissioned as second lieutenants upon graduation on this day entered the academy in 2024 and completed two years of intensive military training and degree programs in parallel, earning both a Bachelor of Military Studies and a general bachelor's degree.

The President’s Award went to Second Lieutenant Kim Heejung (Infantry; hereinafter branch). Kim said, "I will do my best at every moment to live up to the honor of commissioning with a strong sense of responsibility and to become an officer who earns the trust of the nation and the people."

The Prime Minister’s Award went to Second Lieutenant Kim Woojoo (Artillery), and the Minister of National Defense Award went to Second Lieutenant Kim Taehun (Aviation). The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Award went to Second Lieutenant Yang Jiwon (Infantry), and the Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command Award went to Second Lieutenant Lim Sangwan (Aviation).

Second Lieutenants Son Hyeonji (Artillery), Choi Taeyoung (Intelligence), Kwon Daeyoon (Air Defense Artillery), Jeong Yonguk (Ordnance), and Kwon Woochan (Infantry) are descendants of independence activists and war veterans who previously served as enlisted soldiers or noncommissioned officers before taking on the challenge of becoming commissioned officers. Newly commissioned officers who became 3rd Academy alumni following in the footsteps of their grandfathers, fathers, or siblings include a total of nine: Second Lieutenants Kim Mingyu (Infantry), Kim Taehun (Aviation), Kwon Daeyoon (Air Defense Artillery), Choi Hyeonho (Psychological Operations), Hong Jeongsu (Engineers), Kim Pildo (Signal), Oh Sangsin (Infantry), Son Yeeun (Intelligence), and Park Jonghyun (Infantry).

The newly commissioned officers will attend the junior officer leadership and staff course at their respective branch schools from March to June, after which they will be assigned to units across front-line and rear-area formations around the end of June.