Message from the Minister of National Defense Today, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Armed Forces face a security situation unprecedented in its complexity and severity. North Korea’s Kim Jong-un regime conducted two nuclear tests and several test-launches of Musudan and Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) in 2016 alone, and continues to carry out provocations through various methods such as cyber-attacks. Amid the anticipation of sweeping changes in the global economy and the security order, as a result of the new U.S. administration taking office, Northeast Asian countries continue to oscillate between cooperation and competition according to their national interests. Faced with numerous domestic challenges, the Korean people are particularly attentive to the role of the military as the ‘guardian of national security.’ For the ROK military, it is also an important juncture in the timeline of internal defense reforms to make meaningful progress in tasks such as fostering a modern barracks culture, and improving defense acquisition programs. In order to effectively meet these various challenges ahead, we have strived to strengthen the fundamentals by maintaining our firm readiness posture and introducing a new barracks culture which combines respect for human rights and rigorous discipline, and at the same time actively engaging in efforts to prepare for the future by building independent defense capabilities and further cementing and expanding the bilateral military alliance between the ROK and the U.S. The ROK military enjoys the confidence of the ROK public, gained by deterring North Korean aggression by responding firmly and in a principled manner to incidents, such as the planting of landmines in the DMZ and firing of artillery across the border, while eradicating illegal fishing by Chinese fishermen near the mouth of the Han River through the deployment of the civil military police. In the face of gradually increasing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, the ROK military is strengthening its deterrence and response capabilities. A three-axis system composed of the Kill Chain, Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) strategy is being put in place. In tandem, the ‘Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group (EDSCG)’ was established to bolster the execution capability of the ROK-U.S. bilateral Tailored Deterrence Strategy. We have stepped up the mental training of our troops, who are the very sources of our combat power, and introduced a new military ethos that is centered on combat duties through tactics-focused unit training and scientific training. Moreover, by appropriately updating the legal and institutional framework, modernizing installation facilities, and improving the military health care system, we have laid the groundwork for a new barracks culture that can be appreciated by our servicemembers and approved by the ROK people. This was coupled with defense regulatory reforms to lift or ease access restrictions to safety zones around military installations to reduce the public’s inconveniences. Notwithstanding, more fundamental reforms are still needed in many areas. Going forward, our goal is to resolutely do