The South Korean military was caught unawares twice in 2010 by surprise attacks from North Korea, resulting in substantial loss of life: the sinking of the Pohang-class corvette Cheonan in March and heavy damage to a military installation on Yeonpyeong island from shelling in November 2010. The attacks also inflicted a significant psychological toll on South Korea by exposing some of the military's critical capability gaps and institutional failures. As a result, South Korean President Lee My-ung-byak announced a military-wide review of the country's defence posture in May 2010. This culminated in the March 2011 release of Defence Reform Plan 307, a 73-point document detailing the military's aim to restructure its military command and bolster fighting capabilities. According to South Korean Defence Minister Kim Kwan-jin, the reform plan is designed "to proactively deter current threats posed by the enemy rather than cope with potential threats in the future".
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