Korean Army to shut down combat boot camps

Conscripts enter an Army training camp in Yongin, Gyeonggi, after their induction in the Korean Army's 55th Infantry Division in March 2023. [NEWS1]

The Korean Army will disband some of its training battalions beginning next year as the number of new conscripts continues to dwindle, military authorities said Tuesday.

The Army said that the disbandment of training battalions will take place over time, with some being tasked with other operational objectives.

Starting in January, the Army’s 1st, 9th and 25th infantry divisions will shut down their basic training camps.

The 28th Infantry Division will reduce the size of its training battalion by 2026, while the Ground Operations Command will do the same by 2031. The divisions under the 2nd Operations Command will also scale down their training battalions.

“The Army considered the [existing] duties of each division before selecting which ones would have their training battalions disbanded,” an official said.

“Proposals for new conscript training have been incorporated into the Defense Innovation 4.0 plan and will be pursued according to the available budget, duties and facility renovation projects.”

BY IM SOUNG-BIN, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]