The Ministry of National Defense was established on 15 August 1948 and located at
Yongsan-dong,
Yongsan District, Seoul. It was established following the foundation of ROK in 1948, superseding the (DIS, ) in charge of Southern Korean armed forces under the
United States Army Military Government (USAMGIK) during the Allied occupation era. During
Coup d'état of December Twelfth, ministry was occupied by 1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade commanded by
Park Hee-do. In 2018, the Ministry has agreed to respect the results from its Special Investigation Committee on
Gwangju Uprising in which
MD Helicopters MD 500 and
UH-1H were used to fire on protesting citizens. The Ministry of National Defense is allegedly active in military-level censorship such as book banning and screening of
mobile apps within the military hierarchy. In April 2024, South Korean and the
United Kingdom navies conducted joint patrols around the Korean Peninsula to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The mission aimed to intercept illicit shipping, following the Downing Street Accord signed by the leaders earlier. Canada and New Zealand also contributed to sanctions enforcement in the region. However, challenges arose, with Russia vetoing a resolution to renew the panel monitoring sanctions enforcement against North Korea. ==Agencies==