Seoul National University ROTC Instructor (1969-1970)
After returning from Vietnam, I was assigned as an instructor at the Student Military Training Corps of Seoul National University. At that time, the headquarters of the ROTC instructor unit at Seoul National University was located in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, while I was stationed at the College of Commerce in Jongam-dong, teaching ROTC cadets. The College of Commerce was highly competitive, with excellent students who had a strong sense of pride. Teaching military subjects to officer candidates was not difficult for me. However, when I taught the “Management Studies” course, I made an effort to study at a higher level than the students, so as to provide lectures that would meet the expectations of those majoring in business administration. The students were indeed outstanding, and I was confident that they would successfully carry out their duties after commissioning.
One memory that stands out is when I was instructed to teach a new set of calisthenics exercises to the ROTC cadets because I regularly practiced calisthenics, which made my movements agile and powerful. Over 1,000 ROTC students gathered at Korea University’s athletic field, where they formed up for group calisthenics. Standing on the podium, I led the exercises in a mass demonstration. The unified movements felt like a campaign to introduce new calisthenics exercises to the public. I received a lot of encouragement and praise from my seniors and fellow instructors for my efforts at that time.
Rifle Company Commander, Infantry Regiment (1970-1972)
I got married in January 1970, and in November of the same year, I was reassigned to the 76th Regiment of the 26th Infantry Division, taking up the position of the 2nd Company Commander. At that time, the division commander was Major General Yoo Hak-sung, and the regimental commander was Colonel Kim Bok-dong, both of whom were well respected in the military. The division rotated the garrison locations and responsibility areas of each regiment every year, and at one point, our regiment was deployed in the lower reaches of the Han River to block and deter enemy maritime infiltrations from the North. As a result, the soldiers would set up mines and load live ammunition every day to perform night guard duties.
The division, concerned about safety accidents, issued strict orders to control the issuing and receiving of live ammunition between the company and the soldiers. However, it was practically impossible to count and distribute each bullet individually in a short time when handing out live ammunition from the armory to the soldiers. Such combat activities are based on mutual trust between comrades in life-and-death battlefields. Therefore, I believed that this unrealistic peacetime safety management was an unnecessary interference that only fatigued company officers and ultimately weakened combat readiness.
There was a time when our company deployed a platoon for facility guard duty on Mt. Dobong, and with unofficial (private) financial support, we built a platoon barracks there. For this, the company members worked together wholeheartedly, mobilizing scarce materials and applying construction skills to build a sturdy barracks. I realized then that if a company commander leads the unit impartially and fairly, without personal gain, the soldiers will dedicate themselves to their duties with loyalty. I still feel warm-hearted when I think about those days.
One day, my wife, who was in Seoul, came to visit the front-line suddenly after giving birth to our first child. She asked me why I hadn’t sent any money. At that time, my salary as a captain was less than 20,000 won. When I received my salary on the 10th of each month, it barely supported our family of four until the end of the month. Then, if we received about 500 won for food expenses at the end of the month, we would somehow manage until the next paycheck. However, that month, I had spent money purchasing camouflage nets for company training and hosting a company dinner, so I had no money left to send home. I had thought my wife would somehow manage, but looking back now, it was incredibly irresponsible of me. I feel deeply ashamed of how I behaved toward my young and vulnerable wife at the time. Life for military families back then was very harsh.
Due to the nature of military assignments, we were transferred almost every year or, even within the same unit, our positions were changed frequently, leaving families busy packing up to move. Back then, military units didn’t provide accommodations for the family, so we had to find a place in a nearby village near the front-line unit. The living conditions were so poor that we once had to rent a small room attached to the toilet, where flies buzzed outside the door, and a musty smell filled the air.
Special Advanced Course, Army Infantry School (1972)
After serving as a company commander in the infantry regiment for 2 years and 2 months, I enrolled in the Special Advanced Course at the Army Infantry School, located in Gwangju at the time. I received three months of refresher training. Due to military circumstances, the Special Advanced Course shortened the training period of the regular Advanced Military Course by one month. Since I had completed the Elementary Military Course and served in the unit for about six years, I felt it was time to refresh my rusty mind through this training.
Operations Officer, Infantry Division (1972-1973)
After completing the Special Advanced Course at the Army Infantry School with a renewed mindset, I was reassigned to the 6th Infantry Division as the division’s operations officer. The division operations staff officer was Lieutenant Colonel Kim Byung-yeop, a graduate of the 13th class of the Korean Military Academy, who had an outstanding grasp of military science and was personally selected by Division Commander Jeon Seong-gak due to his high level of trustworthiness. While serving under him, I thoroughly reviewed and became familiar with the division’s operational plans and studied U.S. military tactical doctrines, which broadened my military perspective. He was very considerate and paid close attention to the difficulties faced by staff officers.
Company Commander, Army 3rd Military NCO Academy (1973-1974)
After serving as an operations officer for the division for a year, I was transferred to the newly established Army 3rd Military NCO Academy and took up the position of company commander. The academy was newly created by the field army to train excellent non-commissioned officers with the goal of strengthening combat power. It required significant effort to establish discipline and set up a new framework for training and education.
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Early Military Career