KATUSA

Katusa (Korean: 카투사 ) stands for Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army and is the abbreviation for service in the armed forces is mandatory in the Republic of Korea (German " military service in the South Korean armed forces is mandatory "). This applies only to male citizens of Korea. The program allows English-speaking conscripts, abzuleisten their military service in a U.S. unit of the U.S. Army that is deployed in Korea. There is no similar program for other U.S. armed services.

History

The katusa program was established in July 1950 during the Korean War in order to improve cooperation between the South Korean armed forces and the U.S. Army and the acceptance stationed in South Korea U.S. troops, the United States Forces Korea ( USFK ), wider on a to provide social base. At the same cultural and language barriers should be eliminated thereby. Was also an increase in the eligible civilian employees pools for the U.S. forces in South Korea in the field of view, as former participants in this program would have been qualified because of their excellent language skills, their familiarity with the American military and their acquired thereby intercultural understanding it. Furthermore, the program aims to promote bilateral military and civilian cooperation. At the same time it is designed to sensitize the American soldier, both culturally and linguistically, for the deployment of South Korea.

The program

The approximately 4,800 positions, the number is subject to constant fluctuations since, roughly, the unofficial ratio of ten is aimed to one between Americans and South Koreans are highly sought after. On the one hand, because the South Korean military is regarded as rigorous and strict than the American, on the other hand, because of the later career opportunities in the civilian sector of the USFK. The selection of recruits was originally from the Military Manpower Administration ( MMA) (German " military personnel and recruitment administration" ) and the Army Training School (Eng. " army training school" ) made ​​today but only by the MMA. Access is conditional on the existence of various aptitude tests because of the limited positions, and the popularity of the program and every aspirant is allowed to apply only once.

According to the article 600 paragraph two of the USFK regulations, the South Korean conscripts enjoy the same rights and privileges as American soldiers. The katusa program is seen by both sides as a guarantee and link the alliance between the two countries, even if it is not in the legal sense. The program is unique in its kind, anywhere else conscripts may serve a nation alternatively their service in the armed forces of another.

Since the armed forces of the United States is a professional army, the relatives of the katusa program are the only conscripts at all in the American military.