Our armed forces, which were founded simultaneously with the establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea, have grown to an invincible force amidst the prosperity of our fatherland, successfully overcoming a variety of hardships and difficulties in the defense of our sovereignty, freedom and democracy against the ever existing menace of Communist aggression from the north.

At the time of the Korean War, which was ignited by the north Korea Communists on June 25, 1950, all member of our armed forces were united firmly with a burning spirit of patriotism and loyalty to their fatherland and fought the Communist invaders virtually with human bullets. They also carried out gallantly and heroically the sacred mission of peace crusaders all along the battle fronts of Vietnam, where they were dispatched overseas for the first time in our 5000-year history to aid a friendly country harassed with Communist guerrillas. The Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea, which have become one of the largest armed forces in the world, are standing alert for the defense of our country to thwart the Communist plot of starting another fratricidal war, thereby defending the peace and prosperity of our country.