The military is implementing various policies to improve the level of welfare such as ensuring stable living conditions for long-term servicemembers and improving child care facilities for the families of servicemembers. its defense capabilities in order to proactively respond to North Korea’s various provocations and to the full spectrum of transnational and non-military threats. It will bring its defense reform plan up to date to re-align it with the changing environment, overhaul the troop structure in favor of elite personnel, and put in place an advanced, high-efficiency defense management system. Furthermore, it plans to integrate creativity and cutting-edge civilian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capabilities into the process of operating and building the ROK Armed Forces to introduce innovations and bring about progress across all areas of defense. For the advancement of defense science and technology, the ROK Armed Forces will increase investment in defense research and development and promote technology cooperation between the military and civilian sectors by transferring technologies to the civilian sector and applying civilian technologies in the defense field. By managing defense projects in a systematic manner, the military will ensure the normal pursuit of defense programs and boost their competitiveness. | Developing the ROK-U.s. Alliance and strengthening external Defense Cooperation | The ROK and the United States are building a full-spectrum combined defense system to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula above all else. By holding defense dialogues both on a regular and ad-hoc basis, the two countries will closely coordinate policies, effectively manage issues of importance to the ROK-U.S. Alliance, ensure conditions necessary for the deployment of rotational forces, and continuously carry out combined exercises and training. The transition of the wartime operational control will proceed in a stable manner by periodically evaluating whether the required conditions are met and the two countries will broaden the level and scope of cooperation to include space and cyber cooperation, as well as international peacekeeping activities, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief. The ROK military will improve strategic communications with neighboring countries by installing hotlines between defense and military authorities and holding frequent senior-level strategic dialogues while engaging in international peacekeeping operations more actively in order to contribute to world peace and stability. Section 2 National Defense Policy 45 Chapter 2 | strengthening future-oriented Defense Capabilities | The ROK military is expanding