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Republic of Korea Reserve Forces

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Republic of Korea Reserve Forces
대한민국 예비군
Flag
Country South Korea
AllegianceCitizens of South Korea (since 2011)[1][2]
The Korean race (until April 2011)[1][2]
Nickname(s)"Yebigoon"
March"Song of Homeland Defense" (향토 방위의 노래)[citation needed]
Republic of Korea Reserve Forces
Hangul
대한민국 예비군
Hanja
大韓民國 豫備軍
Revised RomanizationDaehanminguk Yebigun
McCune–ReischauerTaehanmin'guk Yebigun

The Republic of Korea Reserve Forces (ROKRF; Korean대한민국 예비군; Hanja大韓民國 豫備軍; RRDaehanminguk Yebigun), also known as the ROK Reserve Forces, is the 3,100,000-strong[3] reserve force of South Korea.

There are two major branches of the Reserve Forces: the Mobilization Reserve Forces (동원예비군; 動員豫備軍; Dongwon Yebigun) and the Homeland Reserve Forces (향토예비군; 鄕土豫備軍; Hyangto Yebigun), a Home Guard type force.

Soldiers who have completed their service in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces are automatically transferred to the Reserve Forces and must first serve 4 years in the Mobilization Reserve and then 4 years as an Homeland Reservist. During wartime, about 5 divisions would be formed under the Mobilization Reserves, and deployed to the war zone to provide support and regional stabilization. In the meantime, the Homeland Reserve would defend the homeland from any possible attacks from the enemy.

History

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The Homeland Reserve Force was established in April 1968 as part of a nationwide program to increase emergency defense capabilities in response to increased North Korean infiltration. In January 1968, a North Korean commando unit infiltrated Seoul and attacked the Blue House Presidential residence in an attempt to assassinate South Korean dictator Park Chung Hee.

That same month, two additional North Korean commando units launched attacks on towns on the Korean east coast in attempts to create an insurgency.

Civil defense

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In 1980 there were over 90,000 civil defense personnel in the country. By 1990 there were more than 3.5 million civil defense personnel in reserve. Their missions included air raid defense, search and rescue missions, building and road repair.

Most of the units are now stationary since the threat of North Korean attacks are not increasingly present. However, some units still maintain active training duties, and can be spotted in military installations

Equipment

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Small Arms

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Vehicles

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "New Pledge of Allegiance to Reflect Growing Multiculturalism". The Chosun Ilbo. South Korea. 18 April 2011. Archived from the original on April 20, 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2011. The military has decided to omit the word 'minjok,' which refers to the Korean race, from the oath of enlistment for officers and soldiers, and replace it with 'the citizen.' The measure reflects the growing number of foreigners who gain Korean citizenship and of children from mixed marriages entering military service.
  2. ^ a b Doolan, Yuri W. (June 2012). Being Amerasian in South Korea: Purebloodness, Multiculturalism, and Living Alongside the U.S. Military Empire (Thesis). The Ohio State University. p. 63. hdl:1811/52015.
  3. ^ "2018 Defence White Paper" (PDF). December 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-08-08. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
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