The Korean military is studying plans to create a specialized unit that would be responsible for carrying out rescue operation of Korean citizens held hostage overseas.
The Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) has apparently been studying four plans since November on order from Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo.
The plan being most considered is one that would provide legal grounds to send a small operational unit overseas to rescue Korean hostages without prior consent from the National Assembly.
A military official said it began studying plans due to criticism that Korea was overly dependent on diplomatic channels in resolving the abduction of 23 Koreans by the Taleban in Afghanistan last year.
KIDA is looking at creating a permanent unit — composed of men from sources like the 707th Special Mission Unit and ROK Navy Special Warfare Brigade. The Defense Ministry is already considering plans to modernize said units’ equipment and training grounds, as well as sending them overseas for training.
KIDA is also researching ways to strengthen the government’s organizational ability to make quick and responsible decisions when Koreans are held hostage overseas.
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6 Comments
I thought they had a plan in-place? Just pay-off the terrorists.
Only 1.7 million USD for “modernization” of equipment? Doesn’t sound much and sounds more like posturing and less like a real effort to rescue hostages held overseas.
“Only 1.7 million USD for “modernization” of equipment?”
Maybe those forces picked to be make up the unit already have much of their equipment modernized.
#3,
I sure hope so.
1.7 million dollars doesn’t seem like much.
I was in what you could call an elite unit. It cost anywhere between 500 000$ and 1000000$ to train me per year, and I won’t get into the 30-40 million dollars worth of equipment that I was trained to use.
As Someguy has mentioned 1.7 million dollars doesn’t look like much.
IMO, I believe the funds will mostly go to upgrading personal equipment, such as flak jackets and communication gear, of the unit. Which is a start, however if the unit wants to do some serious business, heavy equipment such as C-17 strategic transports and SO capable helos have to be procured and these cost a lot more than 1.7 million that is to be spent.
#5 Dimes to doughnuts tells me that the notion of chartering a KAL 747-400 is on their minds.