Society

Key Resolve


Most university students are not really interested in national security. The reason why they are not interested in national security is their interests are mostly focused on employment. However, every year the Korean Army and the US Army participate in Key Resolve. We are training for unexpected attacks. Our national security exercises are important to us because of North Korea’s warning about war. Because of North Korea’s warning, we need to know about Key Resolve.

Key Resolve is training to advance the ability of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command to react in an urgent situation. This training happens annually in spring. Key Resolve originated from Team Spirit. Team Spirit was annual training to prepare for an unexpected attack. Team Spirit started in 1976. However, Team Spirit was cancelled during the nuclear negotiations with North Korea in 1994. To replace Team Spirit, ROSI (Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration of Forces) was started. However, from 2008, the US Army and the Korean Army prepared for the transfer of wartime operational control in 2015. Therefore, the name was changed from ROSI to Key Resolve. Also, the US changed from leading the operation to helping Korea lead the operation. The ROK-US Combined Forces Command supervises the training and US Armed Forces in Korea and Korean Forces participate in Key Resolve.

We do this training because we are still a divided country. Key Resolve means protecting our land with the US Army. However, all of the military operational authority will be passed to us in 2015. Key Resolve is preparing for this situation. We can develop our ability to prepare for unexpected situations and develop military teamwork with the US. Furthermore, Key Resolve functions to protect our land which is still in a state of armistice. By preparing for unexpected situations, we can protect our country. Our national defense is getting better and becoming more reliable than before. For these reasons, Key Resolve means a lot to us.
Nowadays, the reason why Key Resolve is important to us is North Korea’s warning. North Korea warned of an attack on the day Key Resolve started. Their opinion is that Key Resolve is preparing for war with them. Therefore, they reacted strongly to Key Resolve.

The media, with the news of North Korea’s warning, all talked about Key Resolve. However, people still don’t know much about it. By getting information about Key Resolve, we can more easily understand our situation. We need to have some interest in our national security exercises like Key Resolve because our country is not a unified nation and we still have some possibility of war.