Republic of Korea Homeland Reserve Forces

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Military of South Korea

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Reserve Forces

History

Personnel

Comparative military ranks

Military ranks

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The Republic of Korea Homeland Reserve Forces (a.k.a. R.O.K. Homeland Reserve Forces, ROKHRF, Korean: 대한민국 예비군, Hanja: 大韓民國豫備軍) are a paramilitary organization responsible for community and regional defence of South Korea.

The mission of the mobilization reserves (동원예비군, 動員豫備軍) was to provide each of the services with well-trained personnel prepared to enter combat as soon as possible in wartime. In 1990 there were 1,240,000 men in the reserves: 1,100,000 in the Republic of Korea Army; 60,000 in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps; 55,000 in the Republic of Korea Air Force; and 25,000 in the Republic of Korea Navy.

[edit] History

The Homeland Reserve Force was established in April 1968 as part of a nationwide program to increase emergency defense capabilities against sudden North Korean aggression. In January 1968, a North Korean commando unit infiltrated Seoul and attacked the Cheong Wa Dae in an attempt to assassinate President Park Chung Hee. That same month, two additional North Korean commando units launched attacks on towns on the Korean east coast in attempts to encourage the South Korean populace to overthrow the government.

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 , and building and road repair.