Reserve Officers' Training Corps (South Korea)

Reserve Officers' Training Corps (Hangul: 학군사관; Hanja: 學軍士官) in South Korea is a college-based officer training program which was established in 1961.[1][2] South Korea's Conscription Law applies to males, aged between 18 and 35,[3] although women are allowed to enroll in the ROTC as of 2010.[4]

Applicants to the ROTC program go through a screening process; a written exam, an interview and health examination, and a background check. Once accepted, members undergo physical and military education throughout the semester; they are also required to undergo actual military training during school holidays. After commissioning, they serve for two and a half years; an individual may choose to extend his or her service past the required period in pursuit of an active military career.[1]

Impact on South Korean society

It was estimated by a Library of Congress research in 1990 that approximately 40% of new second lieutenants were commissioned from the ROTC program after two years of training and two years and three months of obligatory service; most would leave the service after the obligatory period. The Korea Army Academy at Yeongcheon produced another 40% of new second lieutenants; 5% were graduates of various military academies and 15% were directly-commissioned specialists in the medical corps, judge advocates and chaplains.[5] It has been postulated that the ROTC program in South Korea has contributed to national integration and cultural homogeneity, where military training had become a common cultural and organizational reference point; military officers became business managers and military conscripts became factory workers. A case in point would be Hyundai, which systematically preferred workers who had undergone ROTC training.[6]

In 2011, South Korea had 9,063 ROTC cadets from 109 universities.[2]

Ties with United States ROTC

Cadets of the United States Reserve Officers' Training Corps routinely collaborate with their South Korean counterparts in cultural exchanges such as the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) program.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Lee, Jisoo. "Blue Suits and Blue Berets?". Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Sang-ho, Song (1 July 2011). "Korea, U.S. ROTC cadets cement alliance". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
  3. ↑ "Banned South Korean earns military exemption". Reuters via thestar.com.my. 2012-08-24. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  4. ↑ Joongang Daily (26 April 2011). "Women are showing keen interest in ROTC". Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  5. ↑ Savada, Andrea Matles (1992). South Korea: A Country Study. Library of Congress. pp. 290–291. ISBN 0-8444-0736-4.
  6. ↑ Yun-Shik, Chang (2006). Transformations in Twentieth Century Korea. Routledge. pp. 146–147. ISBN 0-415-38065-0.
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