There have been some big changes in the military forces that are stationed on the island, prior to the scheduled completion by the end of the year of the naval base in Gangjeong. Here’s Mike Laidman to explain.
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Ceremony for Navy’s Jeju Unit at Naval Base

The flag for the Navy’s new Jeju unit gets handed to the unit commander while hundreds of soldiers look on.

The flag shows a shield of red and blue and the battleship designed by famous admiral (이순신) Yi Sun-shin.

The soldiers salute the new flag in unison.

This is the Navy’s new Jeju Unit, which has been founded ahead of the Naval Base’s completion, scheduled for the end of this year.

The new unit will operate under the Navy’s 3rd Fleet. About 500 soldiers will be in charge of base defense and warship support.

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Kim Jong-il, Commander of Navy’s 3rd Fleet
This base is a strategic point to prepare for and deal with possible threats from North Korea and neighboring countries. The island is positioned at an important economic and military spot, securing the nation’s prosperity and national security.
<싱크 : 김종일 / 해군 3함대 사령관>
"이곳은 우리 해군이 북한과 주변국의 위협을 동시에 대응해야 하는 전략적 거점이기도 합니다. 이렇듯 제주도는 대한민국의 번영과 // 국가안보를 위한 경제적 군사적 요충지입니다."


The 71st and 72nd units of the Navy’s 7th Mobile Troops and 93rd Submarine Forces, under the command of the Navy’s submarine fleet, will start their duties in the base at the end of the year as soon as the new unit is settled.

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Ceremony for 9th Marine Corps Brigade

The Jeju Defense Command, which was run under both the Navy and Marine Corps, has been dismantled, and the 9th Marine Corps Brigade has been established in its place.

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Hyeon Gwang-hoon, Park Byeong-joon

A quick-response battalion will be dispatched to Jeju from the country’s 1st Marine Corps Division, currently stationed in (포항) Pohang, and will be merged into the 9th Marine Corps Brigade.

The new brigade will be independant from regular military operational control and be charged with defending the island and its islets.

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Yi Sang-hun / Marine Corps Commander
We, the Marine Corps, swear an oath to be responsible for this region, which stretches out to the islands of Ieodo and Marado, as Jeju is positioned at a significant spot for regional security and peace.
<싱크: 이상훈 / 해병대 사령관>
“제주라는 중요한 지역을 해병대가 직접 방어하게 됨으로써, 이어도와 마라도 등 주변 노선은 물론이고 지역 안정을 위해 굳건한 파수꾼이 될 것을 다짐합니다.”

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Mike Laidman

Now that the island’s military bodies have been restructured, Jeju is facing new challenges in how to iron out conflicts in civil-military relations and live up to its name as “the island of peace”.

Mike Laidman, KCTV