Joint Chiefs of Staff (South Korea)
No Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch Republic
1 Jong-oh , Kim General Kim Jong-oh ( 1921-1966 ) 1 June 1963 10 April 1965 1 year , 313 days Army 3rd Republic
2 Chang-guk , Jang General Jang Chang-guk ( 1924-1996 ) 10 April 1965 10 April 1967 2 years , 9 days Army 3rd Republic
3 Chung-Shik , Yim General Yim Chung-Shik ( 1922-1974 ) 10 April 1967 5 August 1968 1 year , 117 days Army 3rd Republic
4 Hyeung-tae , Moon General Moon Hyeung-tae ( 1922-2006 ) 7 August 1968 6 August 1970 1 year , 364 days Army 3rd Republic
5 Heung-sun , Sim General Sim Heung-sun ( 1925-1978 ) 6 August 1970 2 June 1972 1 year , 301 days Army 3rd Republic
6 shin , Han General Han shin ( 1922-1996 ) 2 June 1972 28 February 1975 2 years , 271 days Army 3rd Republic / 4th Republic
7 Jae-hyun , Roh General Roh Jae-hyun ( born 1926 ) 28 February 1975 29 December 1975 2 years , 304 days Army 4th Republic
8 Jong-hwan , Kim General Kim Jong-hwan ( born 1923 ) 29 December 1975 15 December 1979 1 year , 351 days Army 4th Republic
9 Byong-hyun , Lew General Lew Byong-hyun ( born 1924 ) 15 December 1979 15 May 1981 1 year , 151 days Army 4th Republic
10 Sung-min , Yoon General Yoon Sung-min ( 1926-2017 ) 15 May 1981 21 May 1982 1 year , 6 days Army 5th Republic
11 Yoon-ho , Kim General Kim Yoon-ho ( 1930-2013 ) 21 May 1982 3 June 1983 1 year , 13 days Army 5th Republic
12 Gee-baek , Lee General Lee Gee-baek ( born 1931 ) 3 June 1983 3 June 1985 2 years , 0 days Army 5th Republic
13 Jin-kwon , Jung General Jung Jin-kwon 3 June 1985 9 July 1986 1 year , 36 days Army 5th Republic
14 Ja-bok , Oh General Oh Ja-bok ( 1930-2017 ) 9 July 1986 30 December 1987 1 year , 174 days Army 5th Republic
15 Sae-chang , Choi General Choi Sae-chang ( born 1934 ) 30 December 1987 14 April 1989 1 year , 105 days Army 5th Republic 6th Republic
16 Ho-keun , Chung General Chung Ho-keun 14 April 1989 7 December 1991 2 years , 237 days Army 6th Republic
17 Phil-sup , Lee General Lee Phil-sup 7 December 1991 29 May 1993 1 year , 173 days Army 6th Republic
18 Yang-ho , Lee General Lee Yang-ho ( born 1937 ) 29 May 1993 24 December 1994 1 year , 209 days Air Force 6th Republic
19 Dong-jin , Kim General Kim Dong-jin ( born 1938 ) 24 December 1994 18 October 1996 1 year , 299 days Army 6th Republic
20 Yeoug-nam , Yoon General Yoon Yeoug-nam ( born 1940 ) 18 October 1996 26 March 1998 1 year , 159 days Army 6th Republic
List of Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces -- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea (, Hanja: 大韓民國 合同參謀本部) is a group of Chiefs from each major branch of the armed services in the South Korean military. Unlike the United States' counterpart which is primarily advisory, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has actual operational control over all military personnel of South Korea's armed forces. The National Command Authority runs from the President and the Minister of National Defense to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then to Operational Commands of the service branches, bypassing the Headquarters of each service branch. Currently there are five Operational Commands in the Army, two in the Navy (including the Marine Corps) and one in the Air Force. It was created in May 1954 and assumed its current name in 1963, though there had been Supreme Command of the Armed Forces dating from 1948. All (regular) members of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs are 4-star generals and admirals, though the Deputy Chairman in the past has been 3-star lieutenant general or vice admiral intermittently. Traditionally, the Chairman is chosen from the Army (with one previous and one current exceptions as October 2013) while the Deputy Chairman is selected from either the Navy or the Air Force. The Commandant of the Marine Corps, legally subordinate to the Republic of Korea Navy, can attend the Joint Chiefs of Staff meetings when examining the matter pertaining to the Marine Corps.