Korea - Republic of Korea Marine Corps Sticker

The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC), also known as the ROK Marine Corps, or the ROK Marines, is the marine corps of South Korea. Though theoretically it is under the direction of the Republic of Korea Navy, the ROK Marine Corps operates as a distinct arm of the South Korean Armed Forces, unlike the marine corps of most other countries, which generally operate as part of a navy. The ROKMC was founded as a suppression operations force against communist partisans in 1949, just prior to the start of the Korean War. The ROKMC also saw combat during the Vietnam War, while stationed in Da Nang, occasionally fighting alongside the U.S. Marines. The ROKMC was disbanded temporarily in 1973 but was reconstituted in 1987 and remains active to th