'The First Army Chief of Staff from a School District' General Nam Young-shin

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] For the first time in the history of the founding of the army, a new Army Chief of Staff has been appointed who is not a graduate of the Korea Military Academy but from the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).

On the 21st, the Ministry of National Defense explained, "We focused solely on appointing outstanding talents with ability and character, breaking away from seniority, class, and origin," and added, "Nam Young-shin (58, ROTC Class 23), Commander of the Ground Operations Command, was appointed as the Army Chief of Staff, marking the first time in the founding history that an ROTC officer has been selected."

An ROTC graduate becoming Army Chief of Staff is the first in 72 years since the army was established in 1948. It is the first time in 51 years that a non-Korea Military Academy graduate has become the head of the army since the first Korea Military Academy graduate chief in 1969. From the 19th Chief General Seo Jong-cheol to the 48th Chief General Seo Wook, Korea Military Academy graduates have monopolized the position without exception.

He, a ROTC Class 23 graduate from Dong-A University in Busan (class of 1981), holds special significance as the first ROTC graduate to become Army Chief of Staff since the founding of the army. For the Army Chiefs of Staff, the 1st to 18th were graduates of the Military English School and former Japanese army officers, and even after the Korea Military Academy was established, from the 19th Chief General Seo Jong-cheol (KMA Class 1) to the 48th, the position was continuously held by Korea Military Academy graduates.

He is one of seven generals in military history who rose to the rank of general from the ROTC. When he was a brigadier general, Nam served as commander of the 7th Airborne Special Forces Brigade of the Army Special Warfare Command (Special Forces), director of mobilization power at the 2nd Operations Command, and head of the faculty at the Central Military Academy. After being promoted to major general, he served as commander of the 3rd Division. Unusually, he was promoted directly to lieutenant general without holding a second major general position and was appointed commander of the Army Special Warfare Command in September 2017, rapidly advancing during the Moon Jae-in administration. This rapid promotion is seen as aligning with the government’s policy of distancing itself from Korea Military Academy graduates. For the Army Chiefs of Staff, the 1st to 18th were graduates of the Military English School and former Japanese army officers, and even after the Korea Military Academy was established, from the 19th Chief General Seo Jong-cheol (KMA Class 1) to the 48th, the position was continuously held by Korea Military Academy graduates.

In August 2018, when the controversy over the martial law documents of the Defense Security Command (DSC) arose, Nam was reassigned as the commander of the DSC, about a year after taking command of the Special Warfare Command. Nam led the disbandment of the DSC and the establishment of a new organization. He was praised for smoothly carrying out the mission of disbanding the DSC and creating a new unit, and in April 2019, he was promoted to general and appointed commander of the Ground Operations Command.

The Ministry of National Defense also nominated Lee Sung-yong (56, Air Force Academy Class 34) as Air Force Chief of Staff and Chief of Strategic Planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Kim Seung-gyeom (57, Korea Military Academy Class 42) as Deputy Commander of the Combined Forces Command and Army Deputy Chief of Staff, Ahn Jun-seok (56, Korea Military Academy Class 43) as Commander of the Ground Operations Command and Secretary for Defense Reform at the Blue House, and Kim Jung-soo (57, Korea Military Academy Class 42) as Commander of the 2nd Operations Command and Chief of Staff of the Ground Operations Command. They will be appointed by President Moon Jae-in, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, following approval at the Cabinet meeting on the 22nd.

He is married to Jo Jae-eun and has one son. ▲Ulsan (58) ▲Ulsan Hakseong High School ▲Dong-A University, Department of Education ▲ROTC Class 23 ▲Commander of the 7th Airborne Special Forces Brigade ▲Director of Mobilization Power, 2nd Operations Command ▲Head of Faculty, Central Military Academy ▲Commander of the 3rd Division ▲Commander of the Special Warfare Command ▲Commander of the Defense Security Command ▲Director of the Preparation Task Force for the Establishment of the Defense Security Support Command at the Ministry of National Defense ▲Commander of the Defense Security Support Command ▲Commander of the Ground Operations Command

They will be appointed by President Moon Jae-in, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, following approval at the Cabinet meeting on the 22nd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.