[News Terms] 'Army 8th Corps' Absorbed and Integrated into the 3rd Corps

The '8th Army Corps' is an army corps under the Ground Operations Command of the Army, based in Sonyang-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do. It was established in April 1987 and was nicknamed the East Sea Chungyong Unit.

In 1983, the defense of the Gangwon-do East Coast region, which was under the East Coast Defense Command, was transferred to the 3rd Army Corps. However, since the operational area of the 3rd Army Corps was too vast, causing various operational difficulties, the Yeongdong region was separated from the 3rd Army Corps' jurisdiction in April 1987 to establish the 8th Army Corps. From its inception, it was a relatively small unit. Currently, it commands one infantry division (the 22nd Infantry Division) and three brigades (the 102nd Armored Brigade, the 1st Mountain Brigade, and the 23rd Guard Brigade).

The 8th Army Corps will be relieved of its duties as of the 1st and will be disbanded in the second half of this year. The subordinate 22nd Division and 102nd Armored Brigade will be absorbed and integrated into the 3rd Army Corps, which will take over various guard duties and operational functions. The official disbandment of the unit is scheduled for the 30th of next month.

Tracked vehicles participating in the joint maneuver training of the Army's 8th Corps, conducted last March in the Yeongdong region including Sokcho and Goseong, are moving along the road.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

As part of the 'Defense Reform 2.0' initiated in 2017, the disbandment was originally planned for the end of 2021. However, due to a series of security failures in the subordinate 22nd Division, such as 'duck feet swimming defection,' 'fence defection,' and 'knock defection,' and problems discovered during joint exercises assuming the integration of the 3rd and 8th Army Corps, the schedule was delayed. Because of this, some argued that the 8th Army Corps should be retained, but after reconsideration, it was ultimately decided to disband it.

According to Defense Reform 2.0, the standing forces have been reduced from 618,000 in 2017 to about 500,000 last year, and the army corps have been reorganized from eight to six, and divisions from 39 to 33. This restructuring reflects an overall military adjustment due to the declining number of adult males eligible for enlistment caused by the demographic cliff. The personnel gap will be compensated with advanced science and technology.

In December last year, the 6th and 5th Army Corps merged, leading to the disbandment of the 27th Division in Hwacheon, Gangwon-do, known as the 'Igija Unit.' At the end of last year, the 23rd Infantry Division (Iron Wall) and the 30th Mechanized Infantry Division (Certain Victory) were downsized to brigades, and the 2nd Infantry Division (Nodong) was reorganized into a rapid response division. The restructuring will be completed with the disbandment of the 28th Infantry Division (Invincible Typhoon) in 2025.