Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the National Assembly National Defense Committee.

Rep. Kim Byung-joo had been with the military for 39 years. Kim, a four-star general-turned lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea, served as deputy commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command.

He graduated from the 40th class of the Korea Military Academy. He obtained a master’s degree in management from Jeonnam National University and a doctorate in diplomacy and security from Kyonggi University.

Kim jointly authored a book outlining Sun Tsu’s three new strategies, designed to transfer a crisis into opportunities, titled “New Normal, New Type, New Dream,” along with his daughter Kim Ji-hae and broadcasting writer Choi Bo-yoon.

Rep. Kim now sits on the National Assembly National Defense Committee. He stresses unswerving national defense security posture. He had jointly proposed 171 bills along with DP lawmakers.

He spearheaded legislation on fiscal improvements to a soldier’s savings and the protection of defense technologies to prevent core technology leakage from Agency for Defense Development.

In a talk show, Rep. Kim said ROK and United States’ agreeing to lift the Missile Guideline was an epoch-making one. It would enable Korea to develop drones and unmanned fighter aircraft, particularly possibly advancing Korea’s civil aerospace development, he said.

Here are the excerpts of an interview with NewsWorld in which Rep. Kim spoke on his legislative activities while sitting on the National Assembly National Defense Committee.

Question: Would you tell our readers about the meaning and significance of the Month of Patriots and Veterans and related major activities?

Answer: The designation of June as the Month of Patriots and Veterans is designed to honor and thank those who dedicated and sacrificed themselves for the state, and to remind of the significance of national security.

I attended a variety of security-related events, such as Memorial Day, which fell on June 6, the Korean War anniversary event, which fell on June 25 and the anniversary of the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, which fell on June 20.

We paid homage to the spirits of the fallen people who made sacrifices and sent words of whole-hearted thanks and consolation.

On the occasion of the Korean War anniversary on June 25, I paid a visit to an excavation site at the Hwasalmeorigoji - also known as the Arrowhead Hill near Cheorwon, Gangwon-do, and had recalled the pain and sacrifices and vowed to be armed with awareness of national security so as not to repeat such sorrows on this land.

Rep. Kim Byung-joo pays homage to the spirits of the fallen heroes during the 19th anniversary of the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong on June 29. (Photos: Rep. Kim Byung-joo's office)

Q: Can you talk about the projects to support Korean War veterans?

A: Korean War veterans receive benefits reserved as persons of national merit. They are treated as Korean veterans through a variety of regimes, including the war veteran honor alliance, medical care at veterans’ hospitals, the use of elderly nursing homes and the preferential supply of apartments, but they are considered insufficient compared to their sacrifices.

Since past is a mirror for the future, we have to continuously be aware of whether sufficient treatment is being given to those who sacrificed themselves for the state, and make efforts to offer the utmost compensation within fiscally allowable means.

Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea delivers a speech on ways of building advanced combat power coupled with the 4th Industrial Revolution at the National Assembly Parliamentarians’ Hall last Aug. 14.

Q: As a member of the National Assembly National Defense Committee, what roles do you think the military should play, and what steps should be taken to cope with North Korean missiles and nuclear arms?

A: The military’s first role is to deter war. It is the most important to prevent wars and maintain peace. In case a war takes place despite these efforts, it is more important to win the war and protect the state and people. The military should be getting stronger through trainings to brace for these occurrences.

In order to properly respond against existing North Korean missile and nuclear program, the ROK and U.S. combined forces focus on ‘tailored deterrence.’ At the same time, the Korean military is building its own capabilities involving detecting and striking North Korean missiles before they are fired, as well as intercepting missiles in mid-air.

It is also striving to maintain steady readiness posture. If deterrence fails, the ROK Armed Forces will make efforts to demonstrate combat capabilities under the concept of projecting overwhelming deterrent forces.

Rep. Kim Byung-joo, head of the aerospace and defense industry task force, talks with Vice Minister Yong Hong-taek of the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) during the first meeting of the task force at the National Assembly on July 9.

Q: Would you elaborate on the pending issues and projects related to security cooperation between Korea and the United States?

A: The main purpose of security cooperation between Korea and the United States is to deter North Korean provocations and be able to win a war together under the Korea-U.S. military alliance.

Both countries are making multi-faceted efforts to ramp up combined defense preparedness. One of these efforts is to transfer the wartime operational control (OPCON) to Korea. Another is about promoting a variety of military cooperation designed to raise interoperability to ramp up a combined defense posture, and furthermore, they are continuously promoting military technology exchanges.

Q: Would you touch on the military’s digital transformation in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution?

A: Military weapons systems have been advanced through rapid technology development, manned arms systems have evolved into multifaceted, manned and unmanned ones.

Unlike combat personnel who were a major force in the past, unmanned combat power such as drones and unmanned aircraft are expected to take a greater portion of the military. Unmanned combat capability needs to be dramatically developed in accordance with the digital transformation of the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Furthermore, with warfare shifting to outer space and online, we have to make preparations for such changes.

The book, titled "The Secret Art of War by Sun Tzu," authored by Rep. Kim Byung-joo.

Q: Would you introduce major legislation you have spearheaded as a member of the National Assembly National Defense Committee?

A: While sitting on the committee, I proposed a revision of the Act on Military Service, calling for fiscal improvements to a soldier’s savings, which was approved by a plenary session.

Under the amendment, savings depositors would benefit from a 5 percent interest rate from banks, plus an additional preferential rate of 1 percent.

I submitted a measure to revise the act on the protection of defense technologies to prevent core technology leakage from Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the agency responsible for the development of missiles and other such things, and raise security awareness of other technologies. The bill was approved in a parliament plenary session.

Youth have also felt a sense of frustration over some people evading military service by changing their nationality.

I proposed bills to revise five laws related to military service, including the Immigration Control Act and the Nationality Act, which would raise values of military service and make it fair.

If they are approved, fairness, the value of the times, and fair military service will likely be realized.

Q: What legislation activities do you envisage?

A: Of late, I proposed a measure to revise the Military Service Act and the Reserve Force Act, which would allow some reservists to serve in the military service for a given period. I plan to continue legislation designed to upgrade standards of reservists like the so-called two-jobs reservist act.

As Korea and the United States agreed to lift the Missile Guideline, our military is now required to organize a strategic force.

In order to do so, I would focus on bringing about public consensus on establishment of the Joint Strategic Command, and amending related acts. Moreover, I currently work on revising National Contract Act in order to change tendering procedure for military supply and equipment.

Currently, the contract law dictates that the lowest bidder would conclude the contract, resulting in provision of low-quality military equipment.

To prevent this from happening, I would like to introduce a tendering procedure where the state can comprehensively review contractors’ capacity as well as proposed price.