Lee Ji-ho (24), the eldest son of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, has officially entered training as a Navy officer candidate. The entrance ceremony that day was open only to the media, and it was reported that neither family nor acquaintances attended.
The 139th class of Navy officer candidates held its entrance ceremony at 10 a.m. on the 23rd at Ungpo Auditorium of the Korea Naval Academy in Jinhae-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, presided over by Lt. Col. Noh Seung-gyun, commander of the Officer Education Battalion at the Korea Naval Academy. Of the 84 candidates (63 men, 21 women) who enlisted on the 15th, one male candidate left during the pre-entrance period, and 83 attended that day.
Starting with the entrance ceremony that day, the 139th class will be commissioned as Navy officers after 10 weeks of education and training. During the training period, candidates undergo small rubber boat (IBS) training, combat swimming, Marine Corps field training, marksmanship, CBRN, and basic ranger training, and they also complete the basic knowledge courses required of junior officers. In addition, they will run the 13.9-kilometer honor run symbolizing the 139th class.
The 139th class will be commissioned as Navy second lieutenants on Nov. 28. The total length of military service is 39 months, including 11 weeks of training. Candidate Lee Ji-ho's assignment is as an interpreter officer. The unit where Lee will serve will be determined at commissioning, taking into account training performance and manpower needs by military specialty. After the entrance ceremony ended, the battalion commander shook hands with the candidates. Lee said in a very loud voice, "Officer candidate Lee Ji-ho. I will not give up."
Born in 2000 in the United States and holding dual nationality of Korea and the United States, Lee renounced U.S. citizenship to fulfill military service as a Navy officer.