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Republic of Korea Army
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Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; Korean: 대한민국 육군), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the ground warfare branch of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. It is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean military with 400,000 members as of 2025, a size maintained through conscription. All able-bodied South Korean males are required to complete military service, with the army requiring 18 months of military service between the ages of 18 and 35.
The ROKA traces its lineage to the Gwangmu Reform, with its modern form emerging in 1945 as the Korean Constabulary, a force initially heavily influenced by Imperial Japanese Army doctrine and former personnel as many founding officers and servicemen had served during the Second World War, a legacy that remains controversial in South Korea today.
Caught unprepared by rapid offensives by North Korean forces at the outbreak of the Korean War, ROKA forces were pushed to the brink of defeat, with most divisions (5 out of 8 divisions) overrun and destroyed in the opening acts of the war. After United Nations intervention stabilized the front in a final stand at the port city of Busan, the United States focused on rebuilding shattered ROKA divisions through intensive training and equipment. By the war's end the ROKA had grown into a significantly more capable force, going on to deploy roughly 320,000 combat troops to Vietnam and later seeing combat operations alongside coalition forces in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Today the army fields 400,000 troops, 2,838 tanks, and 9,300 artillery pieces across 2 field armies, 6 corps, and 34 divisions.
The Republic of Korea Army traces its lineage back to the Gwangmu Reform, when the Pyŏlgigun was established by Emperor Gojong in 1881 during Korean Empire period.
The 1st of every October is celebrated in South Korea as Armed Forces Day. It commemorates the day during the Korean War when 3rd Infantry Division of the ROK Army first crossed the 38th Parallel, thus leading the UN coalition into North Korean territory for the first time.
The National Security Guard of South Korea (Korean: 남조선국방경비대; Hanja: 南朝鮮國防警備隊), also called the Korean Constabulary (Korean: 조선경비대; Hanja: 朝鮮警備隊), was the nucleus of the ROK Army. This organization was created during the USAMGIK period from 1945 to 1948. The National Security Guard was initially a reserve unit of the National Police. In addition, some former soldiers of the Manchukuo Imperial Army also contributed to the force. The National Defense Force was established on January 15, 1946, replacing the United States lead constabulary from 1945.
The outbreak of the Korean War caught the ROK forces unprepared, requiring the United Nations to intervene with US-led forces. The South Korean military rapidly developed during the Korean War, suffering several casualties and loss of equipment. As the Soviets had armed North Korea, the United States armed and trained the South Korean military throughout the Korean War.
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Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; Korean: 대한민국 육군), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the ground warfare branch of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. It is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean military with 400,000 members as of 2025, a size maintained through conscription. All able-bodied South Korean males are required to complete military service, with the army requiring 18 months of military service between the ages of 18 and 35.
The ROKA traces its lineage to the Gwangmu Reform, with its modern form emerging in 1945 as the Korean Constabulary, a force initially heavily influenced by Imperial Japanese Army doctrine and former personnel as many founding officers and servicemen had served during the Second World War, a legacy that remains controversial in South Korea today.
Caught unprepared by rapid offensives by North Korean forces at the outbreak of the Korean War, ROKA forces were pushed to the brink of defeat, with most divisions (5 out of 8 divisions) overrun and destroyed in the opening acts of the war. After United Nations intervention stabilized the front in a final stand at the port city of Busan, the United States focused on rebuilding shattered ROKA divisions through intensive training and equipment. By the war's end the ROKA had grown into a significantly more capable force, going on to deploy roughly 320,000 combat troops to Vietnam and later seeing combat operations alongside coalition forces in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Today the army fields 400,000 troops, 2,838 tanks, and 9,300 artillery pieces across 2 field armies, 6 corps, and 34 divisions.
The Republic of Korea Army traces its lineage back to the Gwangmu Reform, when the Pyŏlgigun was established by Emperor Gojong in 1881 during Korean Empire period.
The 1st of every October is celebrated in South Korea as Armed Forces Day. It commemorates the day during the Korean War when 3rd Infantry Division of the ROK Army first crossed the 38th Parallel, thus leading the UN coalition into North Korean territory for the first time.
The National Security Guard of South Korea (Korean: 남조선국방경비대; Hanja: 南朝鮮國防警備隊), also called the Korean Constabulary (Korean: 조선경비대; Hanja: 朝鮮警備隊), was the nucleus of the ROK Army. This organization was created during the USAMGIK period from 1945 to 1948. The National Security Guard was initially a reserve unit of the National Police. In addition, some former soldiers of the Manchukuo Imperial Army also contributed to the force. The National Defense Force was established on January 15, 1946, replacing the United States lead constabulary from 1945.
The outbreak of the Korean War caught the ROK forces unprepared, requiring the United Nations to intervene with US-led forces. The South Korean military rapidly developed during the Korean War, suffering several casualties and loss of equipment. As the Soviets had armed North Korea, the United States armed and trained the South Korean military throughout the Korean War.
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