Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Defense minister asked to “strengthen reserve force”

VR simulation firing for the first time in six training centers

Scientific training will improve training effect and satisfaction

Rapid antigen test mandate, mask-wearing during training

With the resumption of reservists’ mobilization training on June 2 after a two-year hiatus, Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup commended the hard work of the officials who had arranged it, and asked them to “strengthen the reserve force readiness posture through reservists’ mobilization training.”

In his message to the officials, including the reserve forces commander, training instructors, and assistant instructors, Lee praised them for their efforts to resume the reserve forces training that had been suspended for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing the need to “conduct training to ensure the safety of both training officials and reservists.”

Lee also expressed his gratitude to the reserve forces for their “participation in the reserve forces training, to work together on national security amid difficult conditions,” and asked them to actively participate in the training, while stressing the significance of their role in a national crisis, as seen by the Ukraine situation.

The key point of this year’s reserve forces training is ‘scientific training.’ The MND plans to operate 16 scientific reserve forces training centers this year, with the aim of setting conditions to ensure training for about 40% of the recipients of local reserve forces training around the country, and 82% of the recipients of local reserve forces training in the capital area. Virtual reality (VR) simulation firing will be conducted for the first time in six training centers, including the Seocho scientific reserve forces training center. This year’s field training will also involve live rifle fire exercises in an advanced indoor firing range, and urban combat training with combat gear similar to MILES (multiple integrated laser engagement system). A total of 40 scientific reserve forces training centers will be installed around the country by 2024.

The MND expects that the scientific reserve forces training center will enhance both ‘training effects’ and ‘reserve forces’ satisfaction’ at the same time.

The training will involve one-day (eight hours) mobilization training and one-day (eight hours) remote training, integrating both local reserve forces and mobilized reserve forces. Seven-to-eight-year reservist soldiers and seven-year or longer reservist officers will be excluded from the remote training. The MND made this decision in consideration of a number of circumstances, including available training hours, conducting training on 70% of the trainees to be admitted to the training center in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and instruction in the required curriculum.

Considering that the training hours have been reduced to one day, the training will focus on the required curriculum. Local reserve forces will participate in live fire training and urban combat training. The mobilized reserve forces will participate in a mixture of basic training and operation plan mastering, as it is greatly important for them to check and master operation plans and their duties in wartime.

Given that the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, the ministries have adopted a number of countermeasures. Any reservist who is diagnosed with COVID-19 before entering the training center will not be allowed to enter the training center for seven days after COVID-19 is confirmed. The reservist can put off his training by submitting evidential materials. All reservists enlisted in the training center are mandated to take a rapid antigen self-test. Reservists who test positive will be sent home, and their training put off. All reservists must wear a mask during the training, and lunch only at the cafeteria, where partitions are installed between each seat.

By Chae-Mu, Im <lims86@dema.mil.kr >

<Copyright ⓒ The Korea Defense Daily, All rights reserved>