By Lee Jon-young

President Yoon Suk-yeol presided over the 75th Armed Forces Day celebrations at Seoul International Airport and Gwanghwamun on Sept. 26. This year's Armed Forces Day ceremony was characterized by the following features.

First, it was the first time in 10 years since 2013 that a large-scale ceremony and parade was held to showcase the power of the Armed Forces. With more than 6,700 troops and 340 pieces of equipment participating in the event, the ceremony was held at Seoul International Airport in the morning, and a street march with the public was held from Sungnyemun to Gwanghwamun in the afternoon. For the first time ever, the president personally participated in the street march with the public, members of the Armed Forces, and invited guests, making the Armed Forces Day event a place of communication with the public.

Second, the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance was marked with the largest-ever participation of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), demonstrating the strength of the joint defense posture of the two countries. Previously, only the USFK's honor guard and military band participated in the event, but this time, combat troops and equipment also participated. In the morning ceremony, the entire U.S. Air Force participated in an aerial display to show that they jointly defend the Korean Peninsula's airspace, and in the afternoon parade, more than 300 U.S. military combat troops participated to demonstrate the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance.

Third, the ROK Armed Forces showcased the strength of the country's military, which has become a world power through the display of the latest developmental equipment and a large-scale aerial display. The latest domestically developed equipment, including the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM), which is the core of the Korean triad system, and the next-generation Light Armed Helicopter (LAH), were on display to showcase the development of the Korean Armed Forces based on cutting-edge science and technology and the country's status as one of the world's top four defense exporters. In addition, a large number of aviation forces participated in the aerial division, revealing the military's formidable combat power to protect the skies above Korea.
 
Fourth, the 75th anniversary of the ROK Army, the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US Alliance, and the 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement were celebrated with a large number of symbolic figures from all walks of life, including Korean War veterans and their descendants, veterans of the Korean War and current operations, veterans' organizations, key military officials, and foreign military forces. In particular, General Kim Doo-man, the 11th Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Mr. Son Myung-won, the son of the late Admiral Son Won-il, the 5th Minister of National Defense, who was responsible for the establishment of the ROK Navy, attended the event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the ROK Army.

In addition, 30 Korean War veterans and their families from 20 countries were invited, including the granddaughter of Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, who was the U.S. representative at the signing of the U.S.-Korea Mutual Defense Treaty, and the granddaughter of U.N. Force Commander Mark Wayne Clark, who attended the signing of the Armistice Agreement, adding meaning to the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-Korea Alliance and the Armistice Agreement. In addition, meritorious soldiers who resolutely responded to North Korea's armed provocations, such as the Second Yeonpyeong Sea Battle and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, attended the ceremony to reiterate the ROK Armed Forces' strong conviction and will to protect the lives and property of the people under any circumstances.

During the morning ceremony, the President paid deep tribute to the soldiers and heroes who have defended the Republic of Korea against external aggression and threats, emphasized the overwhelming response to North Korea's provocations, and said, "Only a strong military can guarantee true peace." "If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the overwhelming response of the U.S.-ROK alliance will bring an end to the North Korean regime," the president said, emphasizing, "When I look at our military, which has grown into a powerful force in the world that strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies and faith into the hearts of our people, I feel a great sense of pride as commander-in-chief."

The ceremony included a celebratory flyover by the Air Force's Black Eagles, a taekwondo demonstration by a joint commando martial arts team comprised of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps’ special forces, and tactical maneuvers by Apache helicopters.

The subsequent divisions were conducted in the following order, starting with the enlisted command, followed by the foot division, rotary-wing airborne division, equipment division, and fixed-wing airborne division. In particular, in the equipment division, the main equipment of the Korean three-axis system, Patriot, Chungung, L-SAM, and Hyunmoo missiles, etc. were displayed, and in the fixed-wing aerial division, a large-scale formation of the ROK Air Force's main fighter jets such as F-35A and F-15K unfolded.

In the afternoon, a street march was held from Sungnyemun to Gwanghwamun. More than 7,000 invitees, including members of the Armed Forces, reserve service organizations, military families, supporters, and general citizens (pre-applicants) attended the event, and tens of thousands of general citizens gathered to watch the Armed Forces Day Street March.

First, fighter jets such as F-35A and F-15K flew over Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace, signaling the start of the Armed Forces Day Parade. Afterward, 3,700 foot troops and equipment troops, including the main equipment of the three-axis system, marched along with chants from the military commander (Army Lieutenant General Park An-su). In the air, Apache helicopters and Black Eagles flew simultaneously, and the Navy's next-generation Aegis destroyer, the King Jeongjo Ship, joined the march via augmented reality (AR).

This is the first time the combined capabilities of land, sea, and air forces have been showcased in a parade in the center of Seoul. The overwhelming presence of the ROK Armed Forces, which has grown to become the world's strongest military today, from the place where our troops successfully landed at Incheon during the Korean War and reclaimed Seoul by raising the Korean flag on the roof of the Central Government Building, once again demonstrated the remarkable growth of Korea's national defense.

In particular, this year's parade was held as a "march with the people" for the first time ever, with the President marching alongside the general public, members of the Armed Forces, and invited guests from the Sejong Monument to Yukjo Plaza. At the end of the event, the President expressed his unbounded trust in the Armed Forces as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and asked the public for their full attention and support for the Armed Forces.