Shared leadership, shared mission: Col. Lee Sang-hun joins Eighth Army as ROK Deputy
**CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea –**In a move that underscores the enduring partnership between the Republic of Korea and the United States, Col. Lee Sang-hun assumed duties as the Eighth Army's deputy commanding officer for the ROK Army in a ceremony Feb. 25, 2026.
Lee's appointment highlights a core message for the alliance: the U.S.-ROK partnership multiplies deterrence and strengthens regional stability to meet not just today's, but tomorrow's challenges. His new role is central to Eighth Army’s line of effort to modernize the alliance.
As the Army component of U.S. Forces in Korea, Eighth Army works together with its ROK Army counterparts to build a more capable and interoperable force. Lee’s position is integral to this shared mission, which is built on the core principle that readiness is shared—Eighth Army and the ROK Army train, fight, and win together.
His extensive experience working alongside U.S. forces is a testament to this integrated defense posture. Lee has held a variety of command and staff positions, including battalion commander of the 122nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion and regiment commander of the Professional Opposing Force Regiment at the Korea Combat Training Center (KCTC).
Lee's staff experience includes serving as a combined plans officer for the CJ35, Combined Forces Command (CFC); an assistant chief of staff, C3-R in the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division; an operations planning officer in the GOC(Ground Operations Command); and the executive officer to the vice chief of staff of the Republic of Korea Army headquarters. He also served as a ROK aide-de-camp to CFC Commander Gen. Vincent K. Brooks.
He holds a master’s degree in international studies from Seoul National University and a Master of Military Art and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is a 2006 graduate of the Infantry Captain Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and holds a bachelor’s degree in French from the Korea Military Academy.
Col. Lee's appointment is more than a personnel change; it embodies the alliance's shared future. Integrating experienced leaders like Lee directly into the command structure is a deliberate step in modernizing the force. It sends a clear message of unwavering commitment from both nations to stand together, ensuring the ROK-U.S. partnership remains the cornerstone of regional stability for the challenges of today and tomorrow.