The Special Forces Brigades of the Republic of Korea (ROK) are six special forces brigades and one oversea deployment group under the command and control of the

Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command The Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command (ROK-SWC; ko, 대한민국 육군 특수전사령부 or 특전사; Hanja: 大韓民國陸軍特殊戰司令部), also known as the Republic of Korea Army Special Forces "Black Berets" (R.O.K. ...

(ROK-SWC; Korean: 대한민국 육군 특수전사령부, 특전사; Hanja: 大韓民國陸軍特殊戰司令部). These units were modelled after

United States Army Special Forces The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service Berets of the United States Army, headgear, are a special operations special operations force, force of the United States Ar ...

(Green Berets). Members of the brigades receive special training for various unconventional warfare missions. These seven units are part of ROK Special Forces, founded in 1958 and fall under the jurisdiction of the

, which was created in 1969. ROK special forces brigades main tasks include guerrilla warfare, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, direct action, collecting information in enemy territory and conducting special missions. Special Operations Command Korea

Relationship with SOCKOR

The members of the ROK Special Forces Brigades train and work in close partnership with members of the United States Special Operations Forces in defense of the Republic of Korea. U.S. SOF in Korea are under the command and control of

Special Operations Command Korea Special Operations Command Korea or SOCKOR, the United States (U.S.) Theater Special Operations Command (TSOC) in the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a Sub-Unified Command assigned under the Combatant Command (COCOM) of United States Special Operati ...

(SOCKOR) which is a sub-unified command assigned under the Combatant Command (COCOM) of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and further delegated to the Operational Command of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) Commander.

Special Forces Brigades

Volunteers Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

for these brigades undergo training in high skilled

weapon A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...

handling and

parachuting Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes. For ...

as well as the regular

physical Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...

and

psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between t ...

tests. All weapons and equipment used by the ROK special forces are

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, and others products. Although ROK Special Forces Brigades consist purely of volunteer soldiers, they have to reach certain requirements such as achieving a black belt in

Taekwondo ''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques. T ...

or any similar martial art. Battalions of ROK Special Forces Brigades are frequently used for destruction of tactical targets. Normal

uniform A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, se ...

is a

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...

combat suit and ROK Special Forces distinguish icon are their black

berets A beret ( or ; ; eu, txapela, ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap, usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre. Mass production of berets began in 19th century France in the long nineteenth century, ...

with the SF badge in

silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

. The usual distribution of the ROK Special Forces Brigades is one

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

per each

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...

and each unit is capable of using either continuous guerrilla operations or single operations, whether or not they find themselves on friendly or

enemy An enemy or a foe is an individual or a group that is considered as forcefully adverse or threatening. The concept of an enemy has been observed to be "basic for both individuals and communities". The term "enemy" serves the social function of d ...

territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

. Each of the seven ROK Special Forces Brigades have their own mascot. They are: # 1st Special Forces Brigade (Eagle) # 3rd Special Forces Brigade (Flying Tiger) # Oversea Deployment Group (Whole World) (Formerly 5th Special Mission Group 'Black Dragon') # 7th Special Forces Brigade (Pegasus) # 9th Special Forces Brigade (Ghost) # 11th Special Forces Brigade (Golden Bat) # 13th Special Mission Brigade (Black Panther) (Formerly 13th Special Forces Brigade)

1st Special Forces Brigade

Founded on April 1, 1958 under the name of 1st Combat Group. This was the original unit of the ROK Special Forces. In October 1958, it adopted the name of 1st Special Forces Group. And in September 1972 it became 1st Special Forces Brigade. The former commander of the 1st Special Forces Brigade,

Chun Doo Hwan Chun Doo-hwan (; or ; 18 January 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a South Korean army general and military dictator who ruled as an unelected strongman from 1979 to 1980 before replacing Choi Kyu-hah as president of South Korea from 1980 to 198 ...

, served as President of Korea from 1980-1987. Its special pocket patch emblem is the

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

3rd Special Forces Brigade

Founded on January 18, 1969 under the name of 1st Ranger

Brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

. On September 10, 1972 it adopted the name of 3rd Special Forces Brigade. It is well known among the other brigades for its excellence in

Tae Kwon Do ''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean martial arts, Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast k ...

. Its special pocket patch emblem is the Flying

Tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...

Oversea Deployment Group

Founded on February 17, 1969 under the name of 2nd Ranger

. On September 10, 1972 it was re-designated to 5th Special Forces Brigade. And in 2000 it adopted the name of Special Missions Group. Its special pocket patch emblem is the Black

Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

. In 2010, it became Oversea Deployment Group. The group consists of around 1,000 members.

7th Special Forces Brigade

Founded on October 1, 1974. This unit is known for its HALO Jumping abilities. The 7th Special Forces Brigade maintains one of the only usable year-round

Drop Zone A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes. In ...

. Its special pocket patch emblem is the Flying

Horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

Pegasus Pegasus ( grc-gre, Πήγασος, Pḗgasos; la, Pegasus, Pegasos) is one of the best known creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine stallion usually depicted as pure white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as hor ...

9th Special Forces Brigade

Founded on October 1, 1974, along with the 7th Special Forces Brigade. One former 9th special Forces Brigade Commander,

Roh Tae-woo Roh Tae-woo (; ; 4 December 1932 – 26 October 2021) was a South Korean politician and army general who served as the sixth president of South Korea from 1988 to 1993. Roh was a close ally and friend of Chun Doo-hwan, the predecessor leader ...

, served as President of the

Republic of Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...

from 1987-1992. Its special pocket patch emblem is the

Ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...

11th Special Forces Brigade

Founded on October 1, 1977. Its special pocket patch emblem is the Golden

Bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...

13th Special Mission Brigade

The 13th Special Forces Brigade was founded on October 1, 1977 along with the 11th Special Forces Brigade. Its special pocket patch emblem is the

Black Panther A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...

. On Dec. 1, 2017, the 13th Special Forces Brigade was reorganized into the 13th Special Mission Brigade. It was formerly known as "The Decapitation Unit" (참수 부대), as unlike the other Korean Special Forces Brigades in addition to conducting unconventional warfare in enemy territory, it is tasked with neutralizing well-protected, high-priority targets such as political and military leaders and facilities. It is regarded as having the most intensive training regimen out of all the Korean Special Forces Brigades, holding regular joint training sessions with US Navy Seals and Green Berets, and is the only Korean Special Forces unit to still use conscripted troops in combat roles and training. US Army 51006 ROK, U

707th Special Mission Group

Founded late in 1981 under the Executive Order of the

President of the Republic of Korea The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (often abbreviated to POTROK or POSK; ), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president leads the State Council, and is ...

as world-class

Counter-terrorist Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...

force with the goal to support Domestic and International

agencies. The

hostage A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized, such as a relative, employer, law enforcement or government to act, or ref ...

-taking situation of the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

was key for the development of such unit in which Palestinian

guerrillas Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tacti ...

belonging to the Black September organization took eleven Israeli athletes as

s. The members from 707th Special Mission Group are distinguished from other soldiers by their unique black

. All operators of the 707th receive a full year of special training; six months of basic

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

combat Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

skills and another six months of

special warfare Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

training. Every member of the 707th is

SCUBA Scuba may refer to: * Scuba diving ** Scuba set, the equipment used for scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving * Scuba, an in-memory database developed by Facebook * Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array, either of two in ...

and

parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...

qualified.

References

{{Reflist

External links

ROK Army Special Forces training during winter season
Military units and formations of the South Korean Army Special forces of the Republic of Korea