Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

The Army Mobilization Forces Command, which will become a key to the first consideration in building strong forces, the "best reserve forces," will be founded next month.

On March 13, the government deliberated and established the ordinance of the "Army Mobilization Forces Command" as a legal basis of the Command to be founded, to enable the efficient use of Army mobilization forces and to establish mobilization readiness in the Cabinet meeting chaired by President Moon Jae-in.

As legal proceedings related to the foundation of the command have been finished, the Army has announced that it will hold a foundation ceremony for the Army Mobilization Forces Command by connecting with the event for the 50th anniversary of Reserve Forces Day on the sixth of April.

The Army Mobilization Forces Command will be founded as a unit under the direct control of the Army in the headquarters of the former 3rd Field Army located in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Province, primarily to support the prepared forces after the mobilization readiness of subordinate forces is completed. The commander's rank is major general.

The Army Mobilization Forces Command will be fully in charge of force enhancement, including supervising and controlling the mobilization reserve division, mobilization recruitment battalion, and mobilization resource convoy which are mostly mobilized in wartime, supporting reinforcements at the time and place they are needed by the front-line corps in wartime.

The core task of the Army Mobilization Forces Command is to make the reserve forces completely ready for combat, and enable them to be sent immediately when they are mobilized.

The Army Mobilization Forces Command also not only will add defense forces in the metropolitan area during the early period of any war, but will also effectively compensate for the expected large loss in forces in the early period of a war in order to ensure the sustainability of any war effort.

The Army will continue having the Army Mobilization Forces Command prepare for changes in the mobilization environment and serve as the pivot for constructing a mobilization system similar to those of the United States and Israel, even after unification.

The Army Mobilization Forces Command plans to go forward the expansion of its missions and functions, while making enhancements where necessary by evaluating the mission performance system from its foundation to this coming July. To secure the completeness of the mobilized unit's readiness, the Command also plans to push forward a project for the electrification of equipment and supplies, the improvement of the designated personnel mobilization system for the mobilization reserve division connected with the corps axis, the reorganization of the mobilization resource convoy, and the development of the convoy operation plan.

The Army expects that the foundation of the Army Mobilization Forces Command will lead the reinforced mobilization forces by making the best reserve forces reach the performance level of regular forces, and will fill the forces vacuum that may be caused by any reduction of standing forces in the event of defense reform when the conditions for an operation plan in an emergency are guaranteed.

The Army also expects that there will be higher efficiency by using a single commanding system for the mobilization reserve division and mobilization support division, and the effectiveness of mobilization will be improved through a reduction of the front-line corps' and homeland division's burden of command and integration of mobilization plans, preferred designation and management of crack resources, management concentrating on the budget for reserve forces, and utilization of the executive members of reserve forces.

“The Army Mobilization Forces Command will not only help us to build a 'strong army and proud army' by having the best reserve forces, but also will contribute to the stable promotion of defense reform," said a spokesperson for the Army Mobilization Forces Command foundation division, adding, “In peace time, the Command will maintain its mobilization readiness by concentrating on the management of resource mobilization, but in wartime it will guarantee the conditions for successful war through the timely support of mobilization forces for the operating forces.”

By Seok-Jong, Lee < seokjong@dema.mil.kr >
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