Who Are the People in Combat Uniform?

 From April 17-26, people wearing combat uniforms could be spotted around campus. Were they cosplaying? Was there an event for military personnel? These were just ordinary SeoulTech students who are part of the Republic of Korea Reserve Forces (ROKRF).

What is the Republic of Korea Reserve Forces (ROKRF),

 The ROKRF is a military organization designed for emergency situations when South Korea’s standing army needs reinforcement. The ROKRF primarily consists of ordinary citizens who have completed compulsory military service. These individuals live regular lives until they are called upon. Korean men are automatically transferred into the ROKRF upon discharge from military service and remain enlisted for eight years.

 Mobilisation drills are conducted throughout the year to ensure the reserve forces are prepared for emergencies. 1st-4th year reservists undergo 32 hours of training, which can be completed in either a 2-night, 3-day or 4-day commute-based session. 5th-6th year reservists do 20 hours of training spaced over 3 days, with 7th-8th year reservists training only if they were unable to participate in previous years. However, undergraduate and postgraduate students who are reservists are considered part of the student reserve forces and are only required to complete 8 hours of annual training.

Training During the Semester

 SeoulTech students enrolled with the ROKRF are assigned training days based on their major. Typically, these training sessions are conducted during the semester, which explains why students were seen in combat uniform from April 17 to 26 this year.

 However, training during the semester can lead to students missing out on their studies. Some professors may accommodate this by replacing campus-based classes with video-based, online lectures during the training period. Other professors might run classes as normal but provide reservists with online lectures instead. If replacement online classes are not an option, reservists can still have attendance recognized for the training period by completing some paperwork.

The 40th Student Council 'STation' Begins Providing Buses

 Due to the remote locations of military training camps, public transportation is often insufficient for hundreds of individuals going to training on the same day. Some universities address this issue by offering transportation from campus to the training camps. In previous years, SeoulTech students did not have this option and had to rely on the limited public buses that go to camp or pay hefty taxi fares. However, this year marked a notable improvement. Although the service was one-way rather than a round trip, the SeoulTech Student Council provided two buses for each day, which was especially impressive given that the council was only inaugurated on April 1.

Controversy Over Buses

 Despite the council's efforts, two buses were not enough to accommodate everyone. The buses were offered on a first-come, first-served basis through an online application. However, after the application period ended, some students opted out of using the service, which meant several seats were wasted. This led to some controversy, with a number of students demanding a penalty for those who opt-out.

Reporter, Jin Pyo Hong

undohere@seoultech.ac.kr