Conversation with LTG(R) Chun, In-Bum, Former Commander of ROK Special Warfare Command

Conversation with LTG(R) Chun, In-Bum, Former Commander of ROK Special Warfare Command

Monday, October 29, 2018 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Hastings Hall See map
180 York Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Join us for a conversation with LTG(R) CHUN In-Bum, former commander of the ROK Special Warfare Command, on “Peace, Denuclearization, and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula”, moderated by Professor Paul Kennedy. This is a rare opportunity to hear from a senior ROK military officer willing to speak frankly about his perspective on developments on the Korean peninsula. We hope you’ll join us!


LTG(R) Chun is a graduate of the Korea Military Academy (KMA) in 1977. He was selected as the aide to LTG Lee, Ki-Baek. In 1983 General Lee, as Chairman of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, was a victim of the Rangoon bombing. LTG(R) Chun was credited with saving General Lee’s life and was awarded the National Security Medal (Kwang-Bok).

Upon completion of Regimental Command, LTG(R) Chun was assigned as the Chief of the Election Support Branch, Civil Military Affairs/Strategic Operations Directorate at the Multi-National Force (MNF) in Iraq. He was recognized by both the Republic of Korea and the United States for his contribution to the first “Fair and Free” elections in Iraq on January 30, 2005, with the Hwa-Rang Combat Medal and the U.S. Bronze Star Medal.

From November of 2005, LTG(R) Chun served as the Director of U.S. Affairs at the Korean Ministry of National Defense and was involved in negotiations and cooperation with the U.S. on the relocation of U.S. forces, camp returns, ROK/U.S. Joint Vision Study, Special Measures Agreement, and the transition of the Wartime Operational Control.

On July 19, 2007, twenty-three Korean missionary workers were kidnapped by the Taliban. LTG(R) Chun was credited with the successful rescue mission and was awarded the Korean Presidential Citation. Upon completion of his duties as the Deputy-Director for Strategic Planning at ROK JCS, LTG(R) Chun took over the OPCON Transition Group.

LTG(R) Chun commanded the 27th Infantry Division and was the Senior Member of the UN Command Military Armistice Commission. In November of 2013, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and was assigned as the Commander of the ROK Special Warfare Command. LTG(R) Chun retired from active duty as of July 31, 2016.

Upon his retirement, he conducted concurrent fellowships with the Brookings Institute and the U.S.-Korea Institute (USKI) at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) until October 2017.

Currently, LTG(R) Chun serves as Vice President of the Korea Freedom Federation, Advisory Member of the National Policy Planning Committee and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Board Member of the Korean Animal Welfare Association, and as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Sam-Nunn School of Advanced Studies at Georgia Tech.

Sponsored by the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, the Council on East Asian Studies, the Graduate & Professional Student Senate, Yale World Fellows, Yale College Council, KASY and KGSA at Yale
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