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119-504: The K11 was officially unveiled to the public at the DSEI military expo, though information pertaining to its development has been available since 2006. The weapon was adopted by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 2008 and was distributed within the Republic of Korea Army during 2010, making it the world's first army to use an airburst rifle as standard issue in the military. Each squad

238-630: A 23-centimetre (9 in), 34-kilogram (75 lb) naval shell he was attempting to disarm in the driveway of his home near Richmond, Virginia . The explosion sent a chunk of shrapnel crashing into a house four hundred metres ( 1 ⁄ 4  mi) away. According to Alaska State Troopers , an unexploded aerial bomb, found at a home off Warner Road, was safely detonated by Fort Wainwright soldiers on September 19, 2019. Thousands of tons of UXOs remain buried across Japan, particularly in Okinawa , where over 200,000 tons of ordnance were dropped during

357-598: A 4,500-ton destroyer, was launched; in 2005, the 14,000-ton amphibious warfare ship , ROKS Dokdo (LPH 6111) was launched; in 2006, the ROK Navy launched ROKS Sohn Wonyil (SS 072), an 1,800-ton Type 214 submarine with Air-Independent propulsion (AIP) system. In 2007, the ROK Navy launched the lead ship (DDG 991) of Sejong the Great- class destroyers with the Aegis Combat System . The ROK Navy completed

476-726: A decade due to the difficult terrain. While unlike many countries in Europe and Asia, the United States has not been subjected to significant aerial bombardment, according to the Department of Defense, "millions of acres" of US territory may contain UXO, discarded military munitions (DMM) and munitions constituents (e.g., explosive compounds). According to United States Environmental Protection Agency documents released in late 2002, UXO at 16,000 domestic inactive military ranges within

595-503: A few meters away from the target. An electronic scope is integrated on the K11; it can be linked to a goggle system with a digital display. The display can be used during nighttime with thermal imaging , and shows the range information from the laser range-finder. The weapon is compatible with standard 20- or 30-round 5.56×45mm NATO magazines, and can hold 6-round magazines of 20 mm shells at one time. The fire selector position and layout

714-472: A further 774 sites in assessment. There has been controversy because some lands appropriated by the military during World War II were owned by First Nations , such as 8 square kilometres (2,000 acres) that make up Camp Ipperwash in Ontario, which was given with the understanding that the land would be given back at the end of the war. These lands have required and still need extensive clean-up efforts due to

833-439: A great safety risk, obstruct new development, and many people believe have outlived their purpose. There are about 250,000 vehicles a day that pass by the barricades and their vibrations contribute to weakening the structures. Despite safety concerns, tearing down barricades is a complicated matter. Since North Korea lost security and economic support from Russia in 1990 and China in 1992, a full-ground force assault on South Korea

952-456: A grenade does not explode, a backup self-destruct safety mechanism automatically detonates it after being at rest two seconds after impact to leave no unexploded ordnance . One of the problems with the previous American Objective Individual Combat Weapon , which influenced the combination rifle/airburst launcher concept, was that its 20 mm grenade rounds were not very lethal. The fragments were often too small and light to be effective, there

1071-405: A hazard, with poisonous gas filled munitions still a problem. Also, UXO does not always originate from conflict; areas such as military training bases can also hold significant numbers, even after the area has been abandoned. Seventy-eight countries are contaminated by land mines, which kill or maim 15,000–20,000 people every year. Approximately 80% of casualties are civilian, with children being

1190-468: A nearby undeveloped area that became known as " No Man's Land ". When the station was deactivated after the war in 1919, UXO in No Man's Land was abandoned there, and unused projectiles and toxic chemicals were buried in deep, poorly mapped pits. Collegiate athletic fields, businesses and homes were subsequently built in the area. Chemical UXO continues to be periodically found on and near campus, and in 2001,

1309-457: A new naval base called Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port in 2016 on the southern coast of Jeju Island to protect the sea lines of communication. In order to support ocean-going operations, the ROK Navy commissioned the 10,000-ton logistics support ship, ROKS Soyang (AOE 51), and launched the first locally designed 3,000-ton submarine, Dosan Ahn Changho (SS 083) in 2018. The ROK Navy continues to upgrade ongoing shipbuilding programs such as

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1428-588: A program for the development of indigenous jet trainers beginning in 1997. This project eventually culminated in the KAI T-50 , dubbed the "Golden Eagle" which is used as a trainer for jet pilots, now being exported to Indonesia. A multirole all-weather version of the T-50 is the modified FA-50 , which can be externally fitted with Rafael 's Sky Shield or LIG Nex1's ALQ-200K ECM pods, Sniper or LITENING targeting pods , and Condor 2 reconnaissance pods to further improve

1547-448: A scale as French operations. By July 2016, Algeria reported that it had cleared all major minefields it had identified to clear. Thereafter, Algeria called on French authorities to provide compensation to the families of the 4000 people who are estimated to have been killed by mines, and thousands who have been left disabled from French ordnance. Chad has been dealing with contamination issues stemming from its numerous conflicts between

1666-634: A significant reduction in the ROK Army force structure, in particular decreasing the current force of 47 divisions (active duty and reserve) down to a force of about 28 divisions. The ROK Navy (ROKN) is responsible for naval and amphibious operations . The ROK Navy has about 70,000 regular personnel including 29,000 Republic of Korea Marines. There are about 150 commissioned ships with the ROK Navy (a total displacement of about 215,000 tonnes ). The naval aviation force consists of about 70 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft . The Republic of Korea Navy includes

1785-585: A smaller portion of unexploded ordnance (UXO) related to cluster munitions continues to affect some regions in the northern part of the country. In recent years, the ongoing jihadist insurgency led by Boko Haram has further complicated the situation. According to the Chadian government, Boko Haram and similar insurgent groups are likely responsible for laying additional mines. These groups are also known for scavenging explosives from pre-existing UXO in order to manufacture improvised explosive devices (IEDs), making

1904-508: A statement in which it acknowledges it can stop attack drones. However, its ability to stop smaller spy drones is "limited". A senior official, Kang Shin-chul, said: "Our military's lack of preparedness has caused a lot of concern to the people…actively employ detection devices to spot the enemy's drone from an early stage and aggressively deploy strike assets". The South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has indicated that South Korea will invest in stealthy drones that could penetrate North Korea with

2023-479: A target to hit troops in cover yielding an airburst effect capable of killing targets within a 6 m area and seriously wounding those within an 8 m area. Users enter a range at which the shell is to detonate into the sighting unit, which automatically calculates the time of flight and sets the chambered round's fuse to detonate when it reaches that point. If a round is not fired within two minutes of targeting information being programmed, it will disarm itself. If

2142-409: A target when the launcher is selected (the sight automatically provides aiming points for either bullets or grenades when their firing modes are selected). Point detonation explodes the shell on impact with a target and point detonation-delay lets the warhead penetrate a target before exploding; penetration ability is unknown. The airburst setting detonates the grenade round in front of, over, or behind

2261-506: A variety of anti-tank barricades were constructed over roads and railroad tracks leading in and out of Seoul, as well as within the Gyeonggi Province. The anti-tank barricades or "rock drops" are made up of giant concrete blocks mounted on thin walls, made to look like fake bridges and overpasses, that lead to nowhere but house hundreds of tons of rubble. These structures are rigged with explosives and are designed to be blown up by

2380-401: Is already in the test process and is expected to become operational in 2027. The jamming system has been described as "soft kill". Further work will be done on stealth jets and anti-rocket artillery systems. The total amount of the spending over the next five years is 331.4 trillion. The previous Defence budget for the last financial year was just 54.6 trillion won as a comparison. Command over

2499-449: Is also covered in UXO from the naval bombardment, and caution would be taken when visiting the ruins. UXO cleanup in the US involves over 40,000 square kilometres (10 million acres) of land and 1,400 different sites. Estimated cleanup costs are tens of billions of dollars. It costs roughly $ 1,000 to demolish a UXO on site. Other costs include surveying and mapping, removing vegetation from

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2618-476: Is difficult and hazardous—jarring may detonate the charge. Once uncovered, explosives can often be transported safely to a site where they can be destroyed; if this is not possible, they must be detonated on site which might require hundreds of homes to be evacuated. Unexploded ordnance going back as to the mid-19th century still poses a hazard worldwide, both in current and former combat areas and at military firing ranges. A major problem with unexploded ordnance

2737-431: Is estimated that 22% of Egypt's territory is mined. These mines are from both World War II and wars that Egypt has fought with Israel . Mines contaminate large amounts of agricultural land, slowing development efforts. De-mining is a priority in the country to open up more land for agriculture purposes, oil drilling and mining. Nevertheless, Egypt stresses its need to deploy mines in order to protect its borders. Ethiopia

2856-562: Is organized into two divisions and two brigades. The ROK Marine Corps has about 300 tracked vehicles including assault amphibious vehicles , main battle tanks , and self-propelled artillery . The Commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps is a three-star general. Following the bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010 and the subsequent establishment of the Northwest Islands Defense Command (NWIDC),

2975-644: Is permanently garrisoned in the frontline near the DMZ . The current administration has initiated a program of self-defense, whereby South Korea would be able to fully counter the North Korean threat with purely domestic means by about 2030. The ROK Army was formerly organized into three armies: the First Army (FROKA), Third Army (TROKA) and Second Operational Command each with its own headquarters, corps (not Second Operational Command), and divisions. The Third Army

3094-628: Is reported to be issued two K11s, though it will not replace grenadiers who currently use K2 rifles with the underslung K201 grenade launcher. In May 2010, the United Arab Emirates purchased a quantity of 40 K11s for evaluation purposes for a total cost of US$ 560,000, giving an indicative unit cost of US$ 14,000. In March 2011 it was announced that 15 out of 39 K11s issued since June 2010 (including 7 out of 20 rifles used by Korean forces in Afghanistan) had shown serious defects and

3213-488: Is similar to the M16 / M4 rifles' selector, though some controls are different. It has four positions, three of which are: 9 o'clock for safe; 6 o'clock for three-round burst for the rifle; and 3 o'clock for semiautomatic fire for the rifle. The fourth selector position is at 12 o'clock and controls the grenade launcher, allowing bullets and grenades to be fired using the same trigger. Because of this they both cannot be available at

3332-539: Is still deadly over 150 years later. Union and Confederate troops fired an estimated 1.5 million artillery shells at each other from 1861 to 1865. As many as one in five did not explode. In 1973, during the restoration of Weston Manor , an 18th-century plantation house in Hopewell, Virginia , that was shelled by Union gunboats during the Civil War, a live shell was found embedded in the dining room ceiling. The ball

3451-401: Is that over the years, the detonator and main charge deteriorate to such an extent, that they frequently become more sensitive to disturbance, and therefore more dangerous to handle. Construction works may disturb unsuspected unexploded bombs, which may then explode. Forest fires may be aggravated if buried ordnance explodes and heat waves, causing the water level to drop severely, may increase

3570-518: Is thought that a grenade may have exploded after being kicked or bumped, setting off hundreds of other grenades and shells. A dramatic example of munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) threat, is the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery , which was sunk in shallow water about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) from the town of Sheerness and 8.0 kilometres (5 miles) from Southend , still contains 1,400 tons of explosives. In comparison with

3689-509: Is thought to have taken place since then. In 2023, Niger reported that there were just under 0.2 km of contaminated areas near the Madama military base. The spread of conflicts in the Lake Chad and Liptako-Gourma regions has contributed new UXO to the regions, with some insurgencies spreading to Niger. IED's have seen increased use, some victim activated and so indiscriminate. Many of

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3808-630: Is under review to decrease the shock of launching 20 mm shells. This will likely strengthen the ammunition power of the rifle make it easier to use, while also reducing the weight of the 6.1 kg (13 lb) weapon by 10 percent. In 2017, Daewoo revealed the 2nd gen K11 which improved the weight (5.5 kg) and the 20mm airburst grenade firepower. Republic of Korea Armed Forces The Republic of Korea Armed Forces ( Korean :  대한민국 국군 ; Hanja :  大韓民國國軍 ; RR :  Daehanminguk Gukgun ; lit.  Republic of Korea National Military), also known as

3927-625: Is unlikely according to military analysts. North Korea has changed its military tactics and now focuses on long-range and covert strikes. Through long-range artillery barrages, missile strikes, or chemical weapons that are used to deliberately attack non-American targets and short of all-out war, the North could seek to hold Seoul hostage with the hope of renegotiating a new status quo. Special warfare units are expected to use wartime tunnels or various infiltration means such as submarines, air-cushion vehicles (ACVs), AN-2 aircraft, and helicopters to infiltrate

4046-635: The Algerian war for independence , French forces laid up to 10 million mines on the Morice and Challe lines, on the eastern and western sides of the country. In 2007, France officially handed over maps to Algerian authorities showing the locations of minefields. The lack of these maps had previously severely hampered Algerian demining efforts. Further mines were laid in the Algerian civil war by both warring parties, requiring further demining efforts. However, these mining operations were not on nearly as large

4165-539: The Indian River Lagoon , which contains UXO thought to be left from live bombing runs performed during World War II by pilots from nearby DeLand Naval Air Station . Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge in Poquoson, Virginia , was heavily used as a bombing range by pilots from nearby Langley Air Force Base from 1917 through the 1950s. The 13.26-square-kilometre (3,276-acre) former bombing range

4284-667: The Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953 by the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), ended the active hostilities of the Korean War. Since an official peace treaty has not been signed by North and South Korea, defensive actions needed to be implemented by the Republic of Korea Army in case of another North Korean attack. During the Cold War era,

4403-614: The Korean Liberation Army and it conducted warfare against the Japanese occupation by conducting large-scale offensives, assassinations, bombings, sabotage, and search and rescue missions. Formally founded in 1948, following the establishment of the South Korean government after the liberation of Korea in 1945. South Korea's military forces are responsible for maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of

4522-502: The Korean Submarine (KSS) , Korean Destroyer Experimental (KDX) , Frigate Experimental (FFX) , and Landing Transport Experimental (LPX). The ROK Navy aims to become a blue-water navy in the 2020s. The ROK Marine Corps (ROKMC) is a branch of the Republic of Korea Navy responsible for amphibious operations , and also functions as a rapid reaction force and a strategic reserve. The ROK Marine Corps, with 29,000 personnel,

4641-646: The Libyan National Army (LNA) and government forces around Tripoli escalated, with the LNA surrounding Tripoli in January 2020 and launching constant rocket and artillery attacks. Both sides were also reported to be using weapons indiscriminately against international law and endangering civilian lives. Weapons such as drones from Turkey and China were used, violating the UN arms embargo placed on Libya. When

4760-736: The Mutual Defense Treaty . During the Vietnam War , the ROK Army and ROK Marines were among those fighting alongside South Vietnam and the United States. In the 1970s, through the Park Chung Hee Administration's " Yulgok Plan" ( 율곡사업 ), South Korea began to build up self-reliant, national defense capability. The name derived from a scholar and a advisor to the king during the Joseon Dynasty. He had called out for an army of 10,000 men to keep

4879-760: The Polisario Front over the Western Sahara . The majority of the contamination is confined to the area around the Moroccan Western Sahara wall . All along the length of the wall (on the Eastern side) runs a minefield, sometimes claimed to be the world's longest continual minefield. During the 1975-91 conflict , the Moroccan army used cluster munitions, unexploded bomblets still kill and maim uneducated citizens to this day. Prior to

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4998-534: The ROK Armed Forces , are the armed forces of South Korea . The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength of 3,600,000 in 2022 (500,000 active and 3,100,000 reserve). The Republic of Korea Armed Forces traces its roots back to the establishment of the Korean Republic in 1919 wherein its armed wing was called

5117-642: The ROK Army , ROK Navy , and ROK Air Force . The ROK Marine Corps functions as a branch of the Navy. The ROK Reserve Forces is a reserve component. The ROK Army (ROKA) is by far the largest of the military branches, with about 420,000 personnel as of 2020. This comes as a response to both the mountainous terrain native to the Korean Peninsula (70% mountainous) as well as the heavy North Korean presence, with its 1-million-strong army, two-thirds of which

5236-691: The RQ-4 Global Hawk and Joint Direct Attack Munition kits to further improve their intelligence and offensive capabilities. The replacement programs for the F-4D/E and F-5A/B/E/F are the KTX-2 and F-X , respectively. The latter has been fulfilled by the Boeing F-15K . The South Korean government also announced its plan to develop domestic helicopter manufacturing to replace the aging UH-1 helicopters, many of which had seen service during

5355-729: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the cleanup of the UXO on the island could take years and cost tens of millions of dollars. In 1917, in response to other nations' extensive use of chemical weapons in World War I , the US Army Chemical Warfare Service (CWS) opened a weapons research laboratory and production facility at American University in Washington, D.C. CWS troops at the station routinely fired incendiary and chemical projectiles into

5474-667: The United Nations to intervene with United States -led forces. The South Korean military rapidly developed during the Korean War, despite suffering enormous casualties. As the Soviets had armed North Korea, the U.S. armed and trained the South Korean military throughout the Korean War. After the Korean War, South Korea established a joint military partnership with the United States, termed the ROK-U.S. Alliance, as outlined by

5593-475: The Vietnam War . The program originally included plans to develop both a civilian and a military helicopter. This was later revised and gave priority to the utility helicopter program. Based on the success and experience of the civilian KMH (Korean Multi-purpose Helicopter), an attack helicopter with a shared configuration is planned to be developed. Conscription in South Korea requires male citizens between

5712-694: The first Libyan civil war that began in 2011, both government and opposition forces used mines. According to the Libyan mine action centre, 30–35,000 mines were laid; however, these were largely cleared after the downfall of the Gaddafi regime by ex-soldiers. With the downfall of the Gaddafi regime, in March 2011 large ammunition depots were left unatetended, and easily accessible by the civilian population, as well as soldiers and paramilitary forces. The government did not regain control of these depots, and munitions from

5831-515: The water supply , likewise with preventing agrarian uses such as farming and food distribution . Unexploded ordnance, no matter how old, may explode. It might seem that the dangers of UXO decrease over time, but this is not always the case. Corrosion and damages sustained on impact might make it impossible to defuse UXO safely and also make the consequences harder to predict. Mixed explosive agents might separate or migrate over time and leave contact explosives like nitroglycerine at random places in

5950-500: The 1960s and the 1980s. A significant portion of this contamination comes from the presence of anti-personnel mines, many of which are believed to have originated from Libyan sources during that period. As of 2020, estimates provided by the Mine Action Review indicated that approximately 10 square kilometers (or 3.9 square miles) of Chadian territory remained contaminated with these dangerous antipersonnel mines. Additionally,

6069-466: The 20mm airburst grenade has more lethal fragments than a 40 mm grenade. Furthermore, after the 2nd improvements, they developed a new technology which enabled the 20mm airburst grenade to explode in a single fixed direction to increase firepower, instead of exploding in all directions (which would reduce firepower). The K11 is being upgraded to reduce the shock generated in firing the 5.56 mm rounds by as much as 40 percent, and similar technology

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6188-715: The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the military service chiefs from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Unlike the U.S. counterpart, operational command of combat units falls within the purview of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who reports to the Minister of National Defense. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a four-star general or admiral, is the senior officer of the Armed Forces. The Chairman of

6307-750: The Commandant of the ROKMC has been dual-hatted as the Commander NWIDC. The ROK Air Force (ROKAF) maintains a modern air and space force in order to defend itself from various modes of threats, including the North Korean Army . The ROK Air Force fields some 450 combat aircraft of American design. In contrast, the North Korean Army has roughly 650 combat aircraft, but mostly obsolete types of Soviet and Chinese origin. Korea began

6426-514: The EOD personnel was of a particularly dangerous type because it was fitted with a delayed-action chemical fuze (with an integral anti-handling device ) which had not operated as designed, but had become highly unstable after over 65 years underground. The type of delayed-action fuze in the Göttingen bomb was commonly used: a glass vial containing acetone was smashed after the bomb was released;

6545-635: The Human Rights Watch wrote to the Russian foreign minister, asking to review their findings connecting with the Wagner group operations in laying mines in Tripoli, and clarify on the group's role in the conflict. The Russian authorities did not respond. Major contamination of Mali with UXO stems from the resurgence of conflict in 2012 Mali. Mines and IED's were laid more heavily in the north of

6664-569: The Joint Chiefs of Staff assists the Minister of National Defense with regard to operational command authority, and supervises the combat units of each service of the Armed Forces, by order of the Minister of National Defense. The chain of operational control runs straight from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the commandants of the Army, Navy, and Air Force operational commands. The respective chiefs of staff of each service branch (Army, Navy, and Air Force) has administrative control over his or her own service. The ROK Armed Forces consists of

6783-602: The Korean Coast Guard became the Republic of Korea Army and Republic of Korea Navy respectively, and formed the Republic of Korea Armed Forces after the South Korean government was established on August 15, 1948. The Republic of Korea Air Force was founded in October 1949. The South Korean armed forces remained largely constabulary forces until the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, 1950, requiring

6902-527: The LNA forces withdrew from the east of Tripoli in June 2021, they left behind an unspecified amount of IED's. It was reported by the UN mine action service that booby traps were left in civilian homes with their only purpose being to cause civilian casualties. In January 2020, the UN estimated that Libya was contaminated by up to 20 million mines and pieces of UXO. The Russian paramilitary organisation Wagner which

7021-417: The ROK Armed Forces is established in the Constitution. The President is the Commander-in-Chief Forces ex officio . The military authority runs from the President to the Minister of National Defense , who is often to be (but not legally bound to be) a retired four-star general. The President and Minister of National Defense are in charge of the entire military establishment, maintaining civilian control of

7140-456: The ROK Navy has been trying to build an ocean-going fleet to protect the sea lines of communication . During Admiral An Pyong-tae's tenure as CNO , President Kim Young-sam supported the Navy by approving a long-term shipbuilding plan for the ocean-going navy. In the first decade of the 21st century, the ROK Navy launched the lead ships of larger and better equipped warships with local shipbuilders: In 2002, ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sunshin (DDH 975),

7259-408: The Republic of Korea Navy Headquarters, Republic of Korea Fleet, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps . The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the highest-ranking officer of the ROK Navy, and oversees the administration of organizing, recruiting, training, equipping, supplying, and mobilizing the ROK Navy. The Republic of Korea Fleet is the highest operational command of the ROK Navy. Since the 1990s,

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7378-471: The Second Operational Command. The army consists of the Army Headquarters, the Aviation Command, and the Special Warfare Command, with 9 corps, 36 divisions, some 464,000 troops and estimated as many as 5,850 tanks and armored vehicles, 11,337 artillery systems, 7,032 missile defense systems and 13,000 infantry support systems. The army will take the brunt of the personnel reduction part of the Defense Reform 307. Associated with this personnel reduction would be

7497-433: The South Korean Armed Forces share the same rank insignia and titles in Korean (The English titles are given as comparative examples with the US Army ranks.). ROK Navy commissioned officer ranks have two distinct sets of rank insignia: On dress uniform , a series of stripes similar to Commonwealth naval ranks are worn; on service uniforms, working uniforms, and special uniform situations (combat utilities and flight suits),

7616-482: The South Korean Army which would drop the rubble blocking roads and railways. Along with the anti-tank barricades, the South Korean Army placed barbed-wire fences along the Han River and hundreds of 3-foot tall concrete pillars arranged in rows, known as "dragon teeth", across open fields. During the 1970s and 1980s when most of these structures were built, the goal was to slow down enemy tanks, troops, and other vehicles and to buy time for South Korean civilians to flee from

7735-439: The South Korean armed forces later. In addition, some ethnic Korean Kuomintang and Manchukuo soldiers also contributed to the forces. After Korea was liberated from the Empire of Japan on August 15, 1945, the Korean Constabulary ( 남조선국방경비대 ) and the Korean Coast Guard (조선해안경비대, organized by Sohn Won-yil and others) were established through the United States Army Military Government in Korea . The Korean Constabulary and

7854-524: The US and Norway initiated an international five-year demining program, now supported by another 24 countries and the European Union . Both the Colombian military and FARC are taking part in the demining efforts. The program intends to rid Colombia of landmines and other UXO by 2021 and it has been funded with nearly US$ 112 million, including US$ 33 million from the US (as part of the larger US foreign policy Plan Colombia ) and US$ 20 million from Norway. Experts however, have estimated that it will take at least

7973-400: The USACE began cleanup efforts after arsenic was found in soil at the athletic fields. In 2017, the USACE was cautiously excavating a university-owned property in an adjacent neighborhood where investigators believed that a large unmapped cache of mustard gas projectiles was buried. Although comparatively rare, unexploded ordnance from the American Civil War is still occasionally found and

8092-434: The United States pose an "imminent and substantial" public health risk and could require the largest environmental cleanup ever, at a cost of at least US$ 14  billion . Some individual ranges cover 1,300 square kilometres (500 sq mi), and, taken together, the ranges comprise an area the size of Florida . On Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC) on Cape Cod, Massachusetts , decades of artillery training have contaminated

8211-403: The World War II wreck of the SS Kielce which rests at a higher depth, with a smaller load of explosives, it still exploded after a salvaging operation in 1967 and produced a tremor measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale . During the fighting in North Africa between the Axis and Allied forces, much of North Africa was heavily mined to prevent military advances. During the conflict, in addition to

8330-403: The acetone was intended, as it dripped downwards, to disintegrate celluloid discs holding back a spring-loaded trigger that would strike a detonator when the discs degraded sufficiently after some minutes or hours. These bombs, when striking soft earth at an angle, often end their trajectory not pointing downwards, so that the acetone did not drip onto and weaken the celluloid; but over many years

8449-813: The age of 18 and 28 to perform compulsory military service . Women are not required to perform military service, but they may volunteer as officers, warrant officers, or non-commissioned officers. The length of compulsory military service varies based on service branches: Active duty enlisted personnel serve 18 months in the Army or Marine Corps, 20 months in the Navy, and 21 months in the Air Force (the length of military service will be reduced to 18 – 22 months by 2022.). Commissioned officers, warrant officers, and non-commissioned officers are volunteer-based, and serve longer terms than those of enlisted personnel, or as career. Non-active duty personnel such as social work personnel serve for various lengths. After conscripts finish their military service, they are automatically placed on

8568-1193: The amount of the executive budget does not include the supplementary budget . As part of its mission, the ROK Armed Forces have engaged in peacekeeping operations , humanitarian , and disaster-relief efforts worldwide. In 2008, officers and soldiers of Unit Dongmyeong , stationed in Lebanon with the UNIFIL , received honorary medals from the United Nations . Unexploded ordnance Unexploded ordnance ( UXO , sometimes abbreviated as UO ) and unexploded bombs ( UXBs ) are explosive weapons ( bombs , shells , grenades , land mines , naval mines , cluster munition , and other munitions ) that did not explode when they were deployed and remain at detonative risk, sometimes many decades after they were used or discarded. When unwanted munitions are found, they are sometimes destroyed in controlled explosions, but accidental detonation of even very old explosives might also occur, sometimes with fatal consequences. For example, UXO from World War I continues to be

8687-405: The clearance of these remnants of war even more critical for national security. Effective mine clearance and UXO removal are essential not only to reduce the threat of accidental detonation, but also to limit the availability of materials that insurgents might use for their attacks. Egypt is the most heavily mined country in the world (by number) with as many as 22.7 million mines as of 2024. It

8806-565: The country's independence from Britain. In 2005, a peace agreement between the rebel forces (mainly the Sudan People's Liberation Movement ) and the government brought an end to fighting, and along with it mine laying. In 2009, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) reported that across 16 Sudanese states, contamination totalled 107 square kilometres (41 sq mi). Despite conflict breaking out in 2011, by early 2023 it

8925-562: The country. The situation deteriorated in 2019; however, the extent of the contamination is unknown, as there has been no clear mapping of the country's minefields. Mine and UXO contamination stems from Mauritania's 1976-78 war in the Western Sahara , while fighting against the Polisario front over the region. UXO is largely concentrated in the north of the country, around urban centres, where heavy fighting took place. Following

9044-427: The creation of a new military unit. The South Korean Defence Ministry announced a new series of anti-drone measures, spending some 560 billion won over the next five years. The money will go towards four new initiatives. One is an airborne laser that will be used to destroy larger drones whilst a jammer would be used on smaller drones. A new counter drone unit, made up of two squadrons, would also be created. The laser

9163-575: The danger of immersed ordnance. There are countless examples of people tampering with unexploded ordnance that is many years old, often with fatal results. For this reason, it is universally recommended that unexploded ordnance should not be touched or handled by unqualified persons. Instead, the location should be reported to the local police so that bomb disposal or Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) professionals can render it safe. Although professional EOD personnel have expert knowledge, skills and equipment, they are not immune to misfortune because of

9282-506: The decision had been made to halt production and modify the design. The defects included: barrel movements during firing, defects in the striking mechanism, condensation forming inside the laser reception lens, and defects in switching from single to automatic fire. South Korea's state procurement agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said it has fixed the defects by modifying

9401-412: The designs and improving the shooting control system and will resume its production. A total of 4,000 K11s were to be produced with all to be fielded by 2014. In September 2014, a major defect was found in the fire control system of the K11, which suspended production as well as use of the 900 rifles distributed to the Army. The Agency for Defense Development said a solution would be implemented before

9520-471: The discs degraded until the trigger was released and the bomb detonated spontaneously, or when weakened by being jarred. In November 2013, four US Marines were killed by an explosion whilst clearing unexploded ordnance from a firing range at Camp Pendleton . The exact cause is not known, but the Marines had been handing grenades they were collecting to each other, which is permitted but discouraged, and it

9639-425: The end of 2016. In 2017, the 2nd gen K11 was revealed with improvements for its weight and 20mm grenade firepower. On 4 December 2019, the project was officially cancelled, due to a lack of accuracy and various defects. Equipped with a laser range-finder as well as a ballistics computer, the K11 allows the operator to quickly find the distance to a target and launch an airburst shell. The shell will then detonate

9758-478: The fact that dunes can rapidly change their location. Although the country was declared mine free in 2018, Mauritania reported the discovery of previously unknown mined areas. As of 2023, an estimated 11.52 square kilometres (4.45 sq mi) of Mauritania was contaminated with mines. The contamination of Moroccan territory is a consequence of the conflict between the Royal Moroccan Army and

9877-643: The fighter's electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and targeting capabilities. Other improved weapon systems over FA-50 include SPICE multifunctional guidance kits, Textron CBU-97/105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon with WCMD tail kits, JDAM , and JDAM-ER for more comprehensive air-to-ground operations, and AIM-120 missiles for BVR air-to-air operations. FA-50 has provisions for, but does not yet integrate, Python and Derby missiles, also produced by Rafael, and other anti-ship missiles, stand-off weapons, and sensors to be domestically developed by Korea. The Republic of Korea Air Force also expressed interests in acquiring

9996-557: The final year of World War II. From 1945 until the end of the U.S. occupation of the island in 1972, the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and the US military disposed of 5,500 tons of UXO. Over 30,000 UXO disposal operations have been conducted on Okinawa by the JSDF since 1972, and it is estimated it could take close to a century to dispose of the remaining UXOs on the islands. No injuries or deaths have been reported as

10115-553: The forward and rear areas and conduct hybrid operations in the form of striking major units and facilities, assassinating key figures, and disturbing the rear area. The Defense Reform Base Plan was originally presented by President Roh Moo-hyun in December 2006, but after years of evolution, and political and military pushback the reform was launched by President Moon Jae-in's administration. The ROK Armed Forces will firmly implement Defense Reform 2.0 to proactively respond to changes in

10234-690: The inherent dangers: in June 2010, construction workers in Göttingen, Germany discovered an Allied 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) bomb dating from World War II buried approximately 7 metres (23 ft) below the ground. German EOD experts were notified and attended the scene. Whilst residents living nearby were being evacuated and the EOD personnel were preparing to disarm the bomb, it detonated , killing three of them and severely injuring six others. The dead and injured each had over 20 years of hands-on experience, and had previously rendered safe between 600 and 700 unexploded bombs. The bomb which killed and injured

10353-504: The invading North Korean forces, as well as to allow for the Republic of Korea and the United States Army to employ troops to defensive positions. The South Korean Ministry of National Defense claims that the anti-tank barricades are inspected regularly for safety concerns, but the barricades show cracks and signs of erosion. Local governments and civilians are now demanding that the anti-tank barricades be removed as they pose

10472-497: The island were seriously injured when a 11-kilogram (25 lb) practice bomb exploded. As of 2007, the US military had not removed a single bomb from the island, which is adjacent to the Poquoson Flats, a popular destination for fishermen and recreational boaters. Signs placed offshore to warn the public of the hidden danger posed by buried UXO have not been consistently replaced after being blown down by storms. According to

10591-543: The length of compulsory military service will also be reduced to 18 – 22 months by 2022. 'Defense Reform 2.0' is also intended to make the ROK military more independent to prepare for the ROK military retaining operational control authority in wartime (OPCON transfer), rather than American general taking command. Initial operational control capability was verified in 2019, with full operational capability planned for 2021, and full mission capability planned for 2022. The signing of

10710-549: The military . The Minister of National Defense, by order of the President, takes charge of military affairs, and supervises the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chief of staff of each service of the Armed Forces. To coordinate military strategy with political affairs, the President has a National Security Council headed by the National Security Advisor. The Joint Chiefs of Staff consists of

10829-414: The military, and as of 2022, there are currently a total of 85 defense contractors in South Korea. Today, the South Korean armed forces enjoy a good mix of avant-garde as well as older conventional weapons . Its capabilities include many sophisticated Western weapon systems, complemented by a growing and increasingly more advanced indigenous defense manufacturing sector. For example, by taking advantage of

10948-471: The millions of mines that were placed, some of the millions of shells which were fired did not explode, and remain deadly to this day. Algeria , Egypt , Libya and Tunisia are all affected by this issue, with civilians being injured and killed every year. UXO also slows progress, with areas having to be demined before being developed. Algeria has been contaminated with large numbers of mines and UXO throughout several wars, starting from World War II. During

11067-677: The mines used by insurgencies such as Boko Haram are used to target military convoys and vehicles, however inevitably there are civilian casualties. Between 2016 and the end of 2022, the National Commission for the Collection and Control of Illicit weapons reported 183 explosive ordnance incidents, killing 203 and wounding 204. 80% of the incidents occurred in the Tillabéri and Diffa regions. Sudan's mine contamination largely stems from its civil war and other wars since

11186-599: The mines. All departments of Colombia are affected, but Antioquia , where the city of Medellín is located, holds the largest amounts. After Afghanistan, Colombia has the second-highest number of landmine casualties, with more than 11,500 people killed or injured by landmines since 1990, according to Colombian government figures. In September 2012, the Colombian peace process began officially in Havana and in August 2016,

11305-610: The most affected age group. An average estimate of 50% of deaths occur within hours of the blast. In recent years, mines have been used increasingly as weapons of terror; especially against local populations, such as in the Syrian civil war . In addition to the obvious danger of explosion, buried UXO can cause environmental contamination. In some heavily used military training areas, munitions-related chemicals such as explosives and perchlorate (a component of pyrotechnics and rocket fuel) may enter soil and groundwater, thereby contaminating

11424-423: The nation safe from any attacks. During South Korea's period of rapid growth in the 1980s, the military modernized, benefiting from several government-sponsored technology transfer projects and indigenous defense capability initiatives. In the 1990s, South Korean industries provided about 70 percent of the weapons, ammunition, communications and other types of equipment, vehicles, clothing, and other supplies needed by

11543-442: The only drinking water for thousands of surrounding residents. A costly UXO recovery effort is under way. UXO on US military bases has caused problems for transferring and restoring Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) land. The Environmental Protection Agency 's efforts to commercialize former munitions testing grounds are complicated by UXO, making investments and development risky. The area around Fort St. Philip , Louisiana

11662-403: The overall troop drawdown scheme, the number of generals and admirals will be reduced by 17 percent from the current 436 to 360 by 2022 to reduce the bloated top command apparatus. This means the removal of 66 general-level positions for the Army and five each for the Navy and Air Force. At the same time, the ROK Armed Forces will see a reduction in active duty personnel from 640,000 to 517,000, and

11781-432: The possible presence of UXO. During the long Colombian conflict that began around 1964, a large number of landmines were deployed in rural areas across Colombia. The landmines are homemade and were placed primarily during the last 25 years of the conflict, hindering rural development significantly. The rebel groups of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the smaller ELN are usually blamed for having placed

11900-570: The rank insignia are the same as the equivalent rank in the Army or the Air Force. South Korea has one of the highest defense budgets in the world, ranking 9th globally in 2021, with a budget of nearly $ 46.7 billion U.S. dollars , and the defense budget trends from 1975 to 2023 based on South Korea's 2015 GDP announced by the Ministry of National Defense are as follows, and the actual annual military expenditure may be higher because

12019-442: The reserve roster. In the South Korean armed forces, ranks fall into one of four categories: commissioned officer , warrant officer , non-commissioned officer , and junior enlisted (" Byeong "), in decreasing order of authority. Commissioned officer ranks are subdivided into " Jangseong "-level ( general ) officers, " Yeonggwan "-level ( field-grade ) officers, and " Wigwan "-level ( company-grade ) officers. All three branches of

12138-520: The resumption of hostilities in November 2020, both the UN and the Moroccan army claimed to have destroyed tens of thousands of land mines, and cleared hundreds of square kilometres of land. In 2018 Niger reported a known contaminated area near Madama military base, totalling just over 0.2 square kilometres (0.077 sq mi). Clearance of approximately 18,000 square metres (190,000 sq ft) took place up to March 2020, however no clearance

12257-539: The same depots were spread across the country. Several of the stores also exploded, spreading dangerous ordnance over a wide area. Many military vehicles were also destroyed in fighting all across the country, and these often contained ordnance in an unstable condition. With hostilities breaking out again in 2014, there were reports of both landmines and IED's being laid by opposition groups, particularly in urban areas. This complicated clearance operations as these areas are often densely populated. In 2019, clashes between

12376-466: The same time. There are two types of 20 mm grenade rounds for the K11; the K168 training round is for practice and has no explosives, while K167 explosive ammunition weighs 100 g (3.5 oz) and has an internal fuse with three selectable settings for point detonation, point detonation-delay, and airburst. The integrated weapon sight programs the airburst warheads after the laser rangefinder sights

12495-615: The security environment and omnidirectional security threats, as well as support peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula based on strength. To this end, the ROK Armed Forces will work toward "steadfast national defense. On 27 December 2022 North Korea sent five drones over the border, one reaching Seoul. All five returned to the North, despite a five hour chase involving fighter jets and attack helicopters, with some 100 rounds being fired. A KAI KT-1 Woongbi crashed although both crew survived. The Joint Chiefs of Staff released

12614-508: The shell. Sometimes components of the original explosives, in the presence of moisture, can form new explosive compounds with the metals in the shells like picrates that can leave a shell highly explosive, even when it is defused and the detonator destroyed or removed. Even if unexploded ordnance does not explode, environmental pollutants are released as it degrades. The toxic compounds and heavy metals can contaminate water and soil over time. Recovery, particularly of deeply-buried projectiles,

12733-462: The site, transportation, and personnel to manually detect UXOs with metal detectors. Searching for UXOs is tedious work and often 100 holes are dug to every 1 UXO found. Other methods of finding UXOs include digital geophysics detection with land and airborne systems. In December 2007, UXO was discovered in new development areas outside Orlando, Florida , and construction had to be halted. Other areas nearby are also affected; for example boaters avoid

12852-665: The state and also engage in peacekeeping operations, humanitarian and disaster relief efforts worldwide. The origin of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces can be traced back to the Korean Independence Army , which was established by the Provisional Government of Korea in exile in Chongking , Republic of China in 1940 during the Japanese rule of Korea . Many of its members became part of

12971-524: The strong local shipbuilding industry, the ROK Navy has embarked on a rigorous modernization plan with ambitions to become a blue-water navy in the 2020s. The ROK military forces are undergoing some preparation for assuming wartime operational control of the ROK's defenses. Several cutting-edge military systems are currently being inducted. Based on the Moon Jae-in Administration's 'Defense Reform 2.0' (국방개혁 2.0) and in line with

13090-410: The urbanisation of 70% of the country's nomadic population, urban expansion has strayed into mine belts. As many of these nomads still follow pastoral practises, valuable livestock and people can stray into contact with mines. Despite this, people are unwilling to move due to the fact that Northern Mauritania is known as the best place to raise camels. It is also difficult to precisely mark mines, due to

13209-485: Was disarmed and is shown to visitors to the plantation. In late March 2008, a 20-kilogram (44 lb), 20-centimetre (8 in) mortar shell was uncovered at the Petersburg National Battlefield , the site of a 292-day siege. The shell was taken to the city landfill where it was safely detonated by ordnance disposal experts. Also in 2008, a Civil War enthusiast was killed in the explosion of

13328-602: Was dumped along the country's eastern and western coasts at sites selected by the Canadian military. Other UXO in Canada is found on sites used by the Canadian military for operations, training and weapons tests. These sites are labeled under the "legacy sites" program created in 2005 to identify areas and quantify risk due to UXO. As of 2019, the Department of National Defence has confirmed 62 locations as legacy sites, with

13447-581: Was first contaminated with UXO in World War II, in areas such as Tobruk , where heavy fighting took place. The contamination from World War II is largely unexploded ordnance and anti vehicle mines . Libya was contaminated during its wars with Egypt and Chad , and it is also believed that the border with Tunisia is contaminated. While Muammar Gaddafi was in power in Libya, mines were placed around military facilities and other key infrastructure. In

13566-656: Was heavily mined in World War II , the Eritrean War of Independence , the Eritrean-Ethiopian War , and the Tigray War . The most heavily affected regions are Afar , Somali , and Tigray regions which have seen repeated conflict. A study in 2004 found that landmines and UXO affected an estimated 1.5 million people. Between 2000 and 2004, they caused 588 fatalities and 1,300 injuries. Libya

13685-465: Was not enough explosive material to create a large kill radius, and many fragments were dispersed vertically and away from the target. This was one of the reasons the OICW effort was cancelled, and it is not known if these deficiencies were addressed with the K11's airburst grenades of the same size. However, Daewoo solved this problem by increasing the height of the grenade, and a recent report indicated that

13804-547: Was operating in the area, also reportedly left munitions and mines in southern Tripoli. Human Rights Watch said that the Wagner Group and other militias left behind "enormous" amounts of ordnance. In August 2021, the BBC reported receiving an electronic tablet containing information on Wagner operators role in laying mines. Deminers in Tripoli reported finding documents in Russian in rooms that they were demining. On 24 May 2022,

13923-669: Was reported that only just over 13 km (5.0 sq mi) of Sudanese land was contaminated with mines, and slightly more contaminated with ERW. In April 2023, heavy fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the Rapid Support Forces , (RSF), a paramilitary organisation. The SAF alleges that the RSF has laid mines, but as of April 2024 no evidence has emerged to support that claim. After World War II, much unused ordnance in Canada

14042-684: Was responsible for the defense of the capital as well as the western section of the DMZ. The First Army was responsible for the defense of the eastern section of the DMZ whereas the Second Operational Command formed the rearguard. Under a restructuring plan aimed at reducing redundancy, the First and Third Armies will be incorporated into the newly formed First Operations Command, whereas the Second ROK Army has been converted into

14161-472: Was transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1972. Air Force records show that 140 tonnes (300,000 lb) of various-sized bombs were dropped in just one exercise in December 1938. Because the area is alternately marshy or sandy, many of the bombs did not explode, and were partly or completely buried in mud and sand or lie in the surf just offshore. In 1958, three teenage boys who landed their boat on

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