The United States Army

08/13/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/13/2026 21:15

KATUSA: 76 Years of “We Go Together”

1 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) Pfc. Jong Ha Kim, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, pulls security with an M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon at an access control point of Desiderio Army Airfield during a field training exercise on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, March 13, 2025. Kim and his team were tasked with security duty to control access to the airfield during their unit's field training exercise as part of Freedom Shield 25. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Ana Alrawi) (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Two U.S. and one Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army (KATUSA) military police officers stand guard at the Major General Seung-Kook Yoon Gate at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys during a multi-day exercise to train on emergency operations. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 3 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Lt. Col. Robert Kimmel shakes the hand of KATUSA Cpl. Dohoen Kim after receiving his 1st. Cav. Div. patch during a ceremony at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 4 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Soldier Sgt. Estavan Hidalgo makes adjustments on Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) Soldier Noh Heung Jun's rifle during rifle qualifications at the Apache Rifle Range on Camp Casey, Feb. 6, 2025. Adjusting the scope of the weapon allows for the soldier to get a more accurate group and zero. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 5 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) Pfc. Son, SeungHwan, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 23d CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive) Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) Sustainment Brigade, 2ID ROK-U.S. Combined Division (RUCD), is coined by the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Raul Salinas and Command Sgt. Maj. Emilio Lopez, following the pinning of his Expert Soldier Badge (ESB), on April 26th, 2024, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. KATUSAs are Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) enlisted personnel who are seconded to the Eighth United States Army and may volunteer to earn the U.S. Army Expert Soldier Badge. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gwang Neung Kim) (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 6 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. Army Sgt. Remi Torres, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan-Casey, helps Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army Pfc. Hyun Jae Chung don his promask before a gas chamber drill at North Star Range, Uijeongbu, South Korea, March 5, 2025. The drill reinforced the importance of situational awareness and adaptability in chemical attack scenarios. (DoD photo by Pfc. See Woo Lee, KATUSA) (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 7 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - U.S. and Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army Soldiers pose for a photo during Korean Friendship week in 2022 at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. (U.S. Army photo by Stanley James) (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 8 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Six soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division pose in front of a unit marquee sign reading 'FIRED UP' and 'Welcome to the SAT BN... Best of the 2d Division, Best by Test.' The soldiers wear a mix of Battle Dress Uniforms (BDU) woodland camouflage and olive drab fatigues. The 2nd Infantry Division patch is visible on the rightmost soldier's left shoulder. Location is believed to be Camp Casey or another 2nd Infantry Division installation in South Korea or Fort Lewis, Wash., based on unit markings. Photo is estimated from the late 1980s based on uniform styles. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 9 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - A Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army soldier is given instructions on the assembly of an M-16 assault rifle in this undated photo. Circa 1980. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL 10 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption - Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army soldiers (KATUSA) march during KATUSA Training at the former NCO Academy at former Camp Jackson, South Korea. Photo is circa 1980. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL

August 15 is recognized as the birthday of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army Soldier program, or KATUSA. The program was created only weeks after the Korean War ignited, and to this day KATUSAs continue to serve side-by-side with Eighth Army Soldiers providing priceless support and friendship.

The Korean War began June 25, 1950. Roughly three weeks later the KATUSA program was initiated July 15 by an informal agreement between the Honorable Syngman Rhee, president of the Republic of Korea, and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, commander in chief, United Nations Command.

During the first two months of the war, the Republic of Korea Army had been destroyed as a fighting force and the U.S. Army was significantly understrength and had been "compressed" into the Pusan perimeter by North Korean forces, as described in an official Army report. Replacements and fighting men were in desperate need.

Five U.S. Army and Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army soldiers pose for a group photo at a forward military encampment. Four soldiers stand while one crouches in front. Military pup tents and a unit guidon flag are visible in the background along with additional personnel. The terrain appears barren and war-torn. The soldiers wear standard U.S. Army field uniforms and garrison caps. Estimated Korean War era, circa 1950-1953. (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL

The concept of the KATUSA program was to augment the U.S. forces. In the beginning most KATUSAs were recruited directly off the streets of Pusan, now spelled Busan. After a basic training period, KATUSA Soldiers were sent to combat units serving as infantrymen. The first KATUSAs reached U.S. Army units by mid-August 1950.

They were issued U.S. supplies, but were paid by and remained administered under the Republic of Korea Army. Throughout the Korean War, up to a maximum of 23,000 KATUSAs served at any one time, according to the Army.

After the 1953 armistice, KATUSA Soldiers remained with U.S. Army units to receive training not readily available in the ROKA and to enhance U.S. Army in Korea's mission capability.

Sang Bin Lim served as a Korean Augmentation To the U.S. Army (KATUSA) on Camp Casey from 1987 to 1989 with 2nd Infantry Division. He was a Tank Crewman and Gunner with 1st Brigade, 72nd Tank Battalion, 1st Company. Lim later went on to serve as a Senior KATUSA and earned an Army Commendation Medal for his service. (Courtesy photo provided by Sang Bin Lim) (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL

Since 1950, the KATUSA Soldier Program has been ongoing with only periodic strength adjustments dictated by requirements. Originally, KATUSA Soldiers were returned to the ROKA after serving with the U.S. Army. Since 1968, however, KATUSA Soldiers remain with Eighth Army until their service commitments are completed. The ROKA Support Group was established May 11, 1965 at the request of the Eighth Army commander to administer the KATUSA Soldier program.

Today, young South Korean men planning to conduct their mandatory military service obligation can apply to become a KATUSA if they have a command of the English language and if positions are available.

Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) Sgt. Sang Kyeong Park (center) with Eighth Army Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, conducts a Pacific Victors Run the morning of August 8, 2025, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. The run is part of Pacific Victors Readiness Day, which occurs across all Eighth Army units once a month and helps to foster pride and esprit de corps within the unit. (U.S. Army photo by KCpl. Hyung Ju Lee) (Photo Credit: Courtesy) VIEW ORIGINAL

Eighth Army has stated the KATUSA program increases the ROK-U.S. combined defense capability on the Korean peninsula. The program is also significant not only because of the military manpower and monetary savings that it provides to the U.S. Army, but also because it puts a face on the ROK-U.S. alliance and the combined commitment to deter war.

The KATUSA program is the very essence of one of Eighth Army's favorite phrases, "katchi kapshida," - "we go together."

Information for this article provided by Eighth Army and these sources:

"Integration of ROK Soldiers into US Army Units (KATUSA)" (U.S. Army)

"The KATUSA Experiment" by David Curtis Skaggs (excerpt)

The United States Army published this content on August 13, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 14, 2026 at 03:15 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]