Dec. 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.
