[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] "When the country calls, we run"... The Reserve Forces Have Changed

The Changed Atmosphere at Reserve Forces Training Grounds After the Disciplinary System
Training Like Real Combat After Wearing Miles Equipment

In January 1968, following the 'Blue House Raid Incident' and the U.S. 'Pueblo Incident,' former President Park Chung-hee established the Reserve Forces. The purpose was "to arm veterans to establish a homeland defense posture that fights while working and builds while fighting." Although the founding date of the Reserve Forces was April 1 every year, it was changed to the first Friday of April annually from 2007 to avoid coinciding with April Fools' Day. On the 55th anniversary of Reserve Forces Day on the 6th of last month, we visited the Reserve Forces training ground of the Army's 31st Division located in Gwangju Metropolitan City.

Drizzle poured from the morning. At the main gate of the Reserve Forces training ground, reservists with long hair lined up to enter. Despite the drizzle, they maintained order for the fourth day of Dongmicham (training separately conducted for those who missed mobilization training). It was unexpected. The atmosphere was quite different from the Reserve Forces training I experienced 20 years ago.

275 reservists who received personal equipment such as helmets and M16 rifles began gathering in the auditorium. Before training, video education started. The video education included content on nuclear weapons preparedness. This education was introduced for the first time this year, indicating the increased possibility of a nuclear attack from North Korea. The reservists were serious.

Lieutenant Colonel Choi Hye-seon, the battalion commander, said, “Unlike in the past, 30% of reservists who are diligent in training can leave about two hours earlier than the scheduled dismissal time (6 p.m.),” adding, “With clear rewards and punishments, the attitudes of reservists have changed significantly.”

Education videos on nuclear weapons preparedness introduced this year... Realistic training possible with MILES equipment

The reservists watching the video all focused straight ahead. None used their phones or even took them out of their pockets. If a phone is used during education, a warning is issued, and after two warnings, the reservist is dismissed and must retake the training, so they exercised self-restraint.

The video depicted situations before, during, and after a nuclear attack. It also covered preparedness for biochemical attacks. Military experts estimate that North Korea possesses hundreds of drones capable of carrying high-performance explosives or biochemical weapons, making it a serious threat. To prepare, reservists repeatedly practiced wearing K5 gas masks and chemical protective suits within a time limit, as well as using nerve agent antidote kits (KMARK1) and personal decontamination kits (KD1).

After leaving the classroom, reservists were divided into squads (10 members) to build defensive positions and install Claymore mines (anti-personnel landmine bombs). The squad leaders also commanded operations based on a hypothetical scenario. This is called a war game. The scenario for the day involved 2-3 enemy infiltrators attacking Damyang Dam via Wolbongsan. The reservists participating in the training were citizens of Gwangju tasked with defending Seo-gu and Nam-gu districts during wartime. When maps were unfolded, everyone seemed familiar with the geography. The squad leader predicted enemy infiltration routes and suggested installing bells in the mountains. No reservist refused or rejected the proposal. They moved in perfect coordination.

After completing the fortifications, the reservists moved to the training field for urban combat. They were issued MILES equipment, introduced in 2019. The MILES system attaches a laser to the end of rifles, which fires a laser at the enemy each time a blank cartridge is fired. Soldiers wear helmets and vests equipped with sensors that indicate 'death,' 'serious injury,' or 'minor injury' when hit by a laser. Unlike active-duty soldiers, blank cartridges were eliminated to reduce noise pollution around the Reserve Forces training ground.

The 150-meter-long training field was densely packed with buildings resembling those in downtown Gwangju. Once the engagement began, the reservists transformed. Although squad members wore different unit patches, they entered buildings and engaged the enemy under the squad leader’s command. Three minutes into the engagement, the electronic scoreboard in the center of the field displayed 'No. 4 → No. 35 killed,' meaning reservist No. 4 had killed reservist No. 35. Gunfire echoed everywhere, and the scoreboard repeatedly showed 'killed' as reservists raised their hands one by one from buildings. The sensors attached to their helmets and chests lit up, indicating they had been hit.

Im Chae-seong, a resident of Seo-gu, Gwangju, said, “I was discharged last December and am experiencing Reserve Forces training for the first time. As a self-employed person, the training was a burden, but I am doing my best because I gain knowledge from different training every day and believe I can protect my three children.” After the training, an instructor encouraged the reservists, saying, “I trust the K-Reserve Forces and will carry out operations in wartime.” Smiles appeared on the reservists’ faces. The phrase written inside the unit’s classroom, ‘We are ready. We will run whenever the country calls,’ felt sincere.