Reserve Service

Reserve Service

Overview

Reserve service (예비역) is a military service classification organized for a certain period for those who have completed active duty in accordance with the Military Service Act. In South Korea, all persons liable for military service become reserve personnel after completing active duty and being discharged, and are organized into the Reserve Forces, bearing training and mobilization obligations in preparation for national emergencies such as war and insurrection. Reserve personnel serve as a core human resource for maintaining national defense readiness for a certain period even after discharge.

Main Content

Definition and Legal Basis of Reserve Service

Reserve service is defined under Article 2 of the Military Service Act and Article 2 of the Military Personnel Act. Under the Military Service Act, military service classifications are divided into active duty, reserve service, supplementary service, military service reserve, and alternative service, with reserve service being assigned to those who have completed active duty or were discharged for certain reasons. Reserve service is also stipulated as a status of military personnel, who are classified under the Military Personnel Act into active duty, reserve service, full-time reserve service, and others.

Composition and Organization of Reserve Service

Reserve service consists of officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted soldiers discharged from each military branch, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. After discharge, they are organized into the Reserve Forces of their respective branch, and are attached to and managed by the reserve unit under whose jurisdiction their residential address falls. The organization of reserve forces takes into account such factors as the discharged person's age, combat arm, and specialty; reservists may also be attached to specific units, such as mobilization divisions, for the operation of mobilization training.

Obligations of Reserve Service

The primary obligations of reserve personnel are to undergo Reserve Forces training and answer mobilization summonses. Reserve Forces training refers to a certain amount of annual training, focused on maintaining combat capability so that reservists can be mobilized in wartime. Mobilization summons is a system for calling up reserve personnel in wartime; upon receiving a summons order, a reservist must report to the designated unit promptly. In addition, reserve personnel have a duty under the Military Service Act to report changes in personal status, such as reporting changes of address.

Service Period and Transition of Reserve Service

The service period for reserve personnel is prescribed by law; in the case of enlisted soldiers, it is known to be within six years after discharge and until age 30, based on Army standards. Recently, reserve service periods have also been adjusted through reforms to the military service system. Reserve status is converted to civil defense status after a certain age or period. Civil defense status is excluded from Reserve Forces mobilization and is organized into civil defense units, which are at a lower level than the mobilization reserve.

Treatment and Support for Reserve Personnel

The training compensation paid during Reserve Forces training is raised every year and includes transportation and meal expenses. In addition, to prevent disadvantages caused by reserve training, workers are granted paid leave for Reserve Forces training. For reserve personnel, institutional mechanisms are in place so that diseases or injuries incurred during reserve service can qualify them for recognition as persons of distinguished service to the state.

Special Matters Related to Reserve Service

Reserve personnel may be subject to restrictions even when traveling abroad or leaving the country for a long period, and must immediately answer when a mobilization order is issued during wartime or an emergency. Even reserve personnel with professional qualifications or specialties recognized by the state may be classified as special-skill soldiers in Reserve Forces units. In addition, reserve general officers and reserve officers may be utilized as Reserve Forces commanders or perform various advisory roles.

Recent Trends

Since 2024, Reserve Forces training has been restructured to be more combat-oriented, with the number of training days tending to increase. After remote training was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, normal in-person training resumed and training intensity increased. In 2025, the reserve training period is expected to be slightly expanded, and training compensation, along with military pay, is scheduled to increase. In addition, along with discussions on shortening the period of military service, various policies are being promoted to strengthen the mobilization capability of reserve personnel. In particular, the introduction of smart training simulators linked to Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and the expansion of Reserve Forces organization in new technology fields such as cyber and drones have become recent trends.

Related Topics

• [[Military Service Act]]
• [[Reserve Forces]]
• [[Active Duty]]
• [[Discharge]]
• [[Civil Defense]]
• [[Mobilization Call]]