{"id":2200865,"date":"2023-05-02T08:00:08","date_gmt":"2023-05-01T23:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2200865"},"modified":"2023-05-01T18:03:21","modified_gmt":"2023-05-01T09:03:21","slug":"south-korea-reorganizes-army-disbands-8th-army-corps-amid-defense-overhaul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/05\/south-korea-reorganizes-army-disbands-8th-army-corps-amid-defense-overhaul\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea reorganizes army, disbands 8th army corps amid defense overhaul"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Republic of Korea armed forces initiated on May 1 the <\/span>disbandment<\/span><\/a> of the 8th Army Corps, which will transfer its subordinate military units to the 3rd Army Corps and is set to be officially disbanded at the end of next month. This action was taken as a component of <\/span>Defense Reform 2.0<\/span><\/a>, implemented by the Moon Jae-in administration in response to the decrease in the number of adult men available for conscription due to South Korea\u2019s declining population. The disbandment was initially scheduled for 2021 but was postponed following an incident in February of that year in which a North Korean man <\/span>defected<\/span><\/a> to South Korea undetected by border guards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The disbandment of the 8th Army Corps comes after the <\/span>merger<\/span><\/a> of the 6th Army Corps with the 5th in December last year. Unit restructuring under Defense Reform 2.0 is set to be completed with the disbandment of the 28th Infantry Division in 2025. A ROK Army spokesperson <\/span>addressed<\/span><\/a> concerns, stating that military strength has not been reduced and that personnel and equipment from disbanded units will be transferred to other units, ensuring no impact on military vigilance or readiness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dear readers,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

At KOREA PRO, we strive to deliver content that is both informative and captivating. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we would be grateful for your insights on how we can enhance our offerings. We kindly ask you to share your thoughts by participating in our brief <\/span><\/i>5-minute survey<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n

According to <\/span>Statistics Korea<\/span><\/a>, there were approximately 318,000 20-year-old men in 2021. The forecast predicts that number will fall to 232,000 by 2035 and 155,000 by 2040. This development is crucial for understanding the evolving dynamics of South Korea\u2019s defense capabilities and how the nation is adapting to demographic shifts. South Korea has <\/span>invested<\/span><\/a> heavily in its <\/span>precise ballistic and cruise missiles<\/span><\/a> and layered missile defense to maintain its conventional military edge over North Korea. The ROK has also turned its focus to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and space-based platforms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>2021 Gallup Korea poll<\/span><\/a> showed that 43% of respondents favored transitioning South Korea\u2019s conscription-based military to an all-volunteer force. Such a transition would require restructuring the armed forces to rely on non-commissioned and commissioned officers more than enlisted service members. However, it was revealed last year that the <\/span>replenishment rate<\/span><\/a> for non-commissioned officers and the number of people applying for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) had dropped significantly in recent years.<\/span><\/p>\n

While conscripts\u2019 monthly wages have <\/span>risen<\/span><\/a> by 771% over the past 10 years, non-commissioned officers\u2019 wages have only seen a 186% increase. The <\/span>2022-2026 National Defense Mid-term Plan<\/span><\/a> included a provision to increase the monthly salary of a staff sergeant to $1,430 (1.92 million won) by 2025. However, President Yoon Suk-yeol <\/span>pledged<\/span><\/a> to raise monthly conscript wages to $1,490 (2 million won) by 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n

Culture & Society<\/span><\/a>Defense & Security<\/span><\/a>Domestic Politics<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Republic of Korea armed forces initiated on May 1 the disbandment of the 8th Army Corps, which will transfer its subordinate military units to the 3rd Army Corps and is set to be officially disbanded at the end of next month. This action was taken as a component of Defense Reform 2.0, implemented by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10407,"featured_media":2200866,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[25,26,27],"class_list":["post-2200865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-briefings","tag-culture-society","tag-defense-security","tag-domestic-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nSouth Korea reorganizes army, disbands 8th army corps amid defense overhaul - KOREA PRO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/05\/south-korea-reorganizes-army-disbands-8th-army-corps-amid-defense-overhaul\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South Korea reorganizes army, disbands 8th army corps amid defense overhaul - KOREA PRO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Republic of Korea armed forces initiated on May 1 the disbandment of the 8th Army Corps, which will transfer its subordinate military units to the 3rd Army Corps and is set to be officially disbanded at the end of next month. 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