[Summary] Over 1.8 Million Reserve Forces' Second Half Training Canceled... Completion Processed

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The second half of the year reserve forces mobilization training has been completely canceled, and all eligible personnel will be considered to have completed the training.

On the 14th, the Ministry of National Defense announced, considering the situation of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and training conditions, this year's reserve forces mobilization training will not be conducted, and all 1.8 million personnel in their 1st to 6th year of service will be treated as having completed the training.

However, reservists under 6 years of service as of 2019 (discharged soldiers) who postponed training for legitimate reasons such as personal circumstances must undergo mobilization training next year. These postponers were supposed to attend reserve forces training last year, but the training itself was not conducted.

The Ministry of National Defense explained regarding the non-implementation of training, "Typically, considering the required period for reserve forces mobilization training (4 months) and preparation period (1.5 months), the decision on whether to conduct training should be made by July and training should start at least from August," adding, "The decision to not conduct this mobilization training took into account the COVID-19 situation and the characteristics of reserve forces training involving close face-to-face contact."

Since reserve forces training is conducted with gatherings of 100 to 500 people, it is highly vulnerable to infectious disease spread under the current Level 4 social distancing measures.

The Ministry stated, "The main age group of reservists is under 30, and they will begin vaccination from the end of August according to the third quarter vaccination plan," adding, "However, since antibody formation after the second dose occurs after mid-October, it is physically difficult to align the training period accordingly."

Previously, the Ministry of National Defense fully canceled reserve forces mobilization training for the first time since the reserve forces system was introduced in 1968 due to the spread of COVID-19 last year.

Meanwhile, a 2-hour online remote education program for volunteers among this year's mobilization training candidates will be implemented starting in October. Participants will have 2 hours deducted from their reserve forces training hours next year.

The Ministry explained, "We are preparing remote education focusing on subjects that can be conducted online and have high educational effectiveness, such as nuclear, biological, and chemical defense and first aid," adding, "Detailed plans will be announced separately after system preparation."

About 3,000 key officers in units mainly composed of reserve forces, such as mobilization divisions, who serve as non-active duty reserve officers, must undergo mobilization training in the second half of the year.

The military selects about 3,000 key officers in units mainly composed of reserve forces, such as mobilization divisions, every October.

For these personnel, training was conducted in the first half of this year by dividing them into groups of 20 to 70 people while strictly observing social distancing standards and thoroughly implementing quarantine measures. Similar standards are expected to be applied for the second half of the year as well.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.