Republic of Korea Marine Corps
| Republic of Korea Marine Corps | |
|---|---|
| 대한민국 해병대 大韓民國 海兵隊 Daehanminguk Haebyeongdae | |
Seal of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps | |
| Founded | 15 April 1949 |
| Country | South Korea |
| Type | Maritime land force |
| Role | Amphibious warfare |
| Size | 29,000 (2022) |
| Part of | Republic of Korea Navy |
| Headquarters | HQ Republic of Korea Marine Corps Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, South Korea |
| Nickname(s) |
|
| Motto(s) |
|
| March | "나가자 해병대" (English: Let's Go Marine Corps) |
| Mascot(s) | Jindo Dog |
| Anniversaries | 15 April |
| Engagements | |
| Website | rokmc |
| Commanders | |
| President | Lee Jae-Myung |
| Minister of National Defense | Kim Seon-ho (acting) |
| Chief of Naval Operations | Admiral Yang Yong-mo |
| Commandant of the Marine Corps | Lieutenant General Ju Il-Seok |
| Insignia | |
| Flag | |
The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC; Korean: 대한민국 해병대), also known as the ROK Marine Corps, ROK Marines or South Korean marines, is the naval infantry of South Korea. The ROKMC is a branch of the Republic of Korea Navy responsible for amphibious operations, and also functions as a rapid reaction force and a strategic reserve.
The ROKMC was founded as a suppression operations force against communist partisans in 1949, prior to the Korean War. The ROKMC also fought in combat during the Vietnam War.
The ROK Marine Corps, with 29,000 personnel, is organized into two divisions and two separate brigades under the Headquarters ROK Marine Corps. The ROK Marine Corps has about 300 tracked vehicles including assault amphibious vehicles, main battle tanks, and self-propelled artillery.