Opinion: Military uniform overhaul debated after martial law backlash
· UPIDec. 16 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's military authorities are reportedly considering a complete replacement of combat uniforms after the military's public image was damaged by the Dec. 3 martial law episode.
The Ministry of National Defense is said to be discussing a new uniform plan through a "Constitutional Respect Government Innovation Task Force," a temporary body set up across government ministries to examine whether public officials participated in or cooperated with an alleged insurrection. The taskforce's work has even sparked jokes that today's combat uniforms have been" branded" as symbols of sympathy for an insurrection.
Officials from the ruling party and other stakeholders have pointed to the public exposure of troops wearing the uniforms during the martial law deployment as a source of reputational damage, arguing a new uniform would serve as a symbolic "makeover."
Replacing combat uniforms, however, is a major undertaking that would require significant funding. The South Korean military has worn digital camouflage uniforms since 2010, using a five-color pattern designed for Korean terrain. Replacing them after about 15 years would bring cascading costs, including the production and distribution of millions of new uniforms and the disposal of existing stock.
Critics argue such spending would compete with urgent defense priorities, including the acquisition of advanced capabilities to counter North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats. In that context, they say replacing uniforms without clear military justification risks distorting defense budget priorities.
Other countries typically change combat uniforms to improve battlefield performance - such as better camouflage and updated functionality - rather than for political reasons. The United States revised uniforms during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to improve effectiveness in desert and urban environments. The United Kingdom updated its patterns after decades to reflect changing operational needs, and Japan's Self-Defense Forces have refined camouflage with island defense and concealment in mind. Cases where political events, rather than combat effectiveness, drive a uniform change are considered rare.
Some argue a change is needed for friend-or-foe identification, citing claims that North Korea has recently imitated South Korean-style combat uniforms for select elite units. Military experts, however, say strengthened identification markers - such as insignia, rank badges and name tags - can address imitation without a full replacement, and they see no urgent operational need to change uniforms.
Military authorities are expected to make a final decision early next year. Because combat uniforms symbolize the military's identity and can affect combat effectiveness, debate is likely to continue over whether a costly replacement can be justified as image management. Critics argue trust in the military is built through stronger training, cohesion and improved capabilities - not through new uniforms.
- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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