SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's military on Wednesday launched a new army command, which combines frontline forces of the army, under President Moon Jae-in's military reform plan.
The launching ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Ground Operation Command (GOC) in Yongin, just south of the capital Seoul.
The GOC was created by combining the army's First and Third commands, which defended the eastern and western frontline areas.
It is composed of seven regional corps, an expeditionary corps, a logistical support command, an artillery brigade and an intelligence unit.
The Second army command will continue to lead the army forces defending the country's southern region.
In times of armed conflict, the GOC would serve as the Ground Component Command under the combined forces command of South Korea and the United States.
The GOC will be headed by Army Gen. Kim Un-yong, who commanded the Third Army.
The launch of the new army command was part of efforts to streamline the military under Moon's military reform plan.
Moon said in a congratulatory message, read by his aide, that the GOC launch was a significant outcome of the military reform, noting that the new command would play a role supporting the settlement of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to the presidential Blue House.
Under the reform plan, the South Korean military planned to reduce its 620,000-strong armed forces to half a million by 2022. The launch of the new command lowered the number of four-star generals to seven from eight.
