Reserve Officers' Training Corps

Reserve Officers' Training Corps (Hangul: ; Hanja: ) in South Korea is a college-based officer training program which was established in 1961. South Korea's Conscription Law applies to males, aged between 18 and 35, although women are allowed to enroll in the ROTC as of 2010. Applicants to the ROTC program go through a screening process; a written exam, an interview and health examination, and a background check. Once accepted, members undergo physical and military education throughout the semester; they are also required to undergo actual military training during school holidays. After commissioning, they serve for two and a half years; an individual may choose to extend his or her service past the required period in pursuit of an active military career. History Background of creation South Korea's first school corps was born in the Navy. In the case of the Navy, on March 11, 1959, the first school group of the 3rd Army was launched by establishing the Naval Busan Military Education Group (Navy 1001st Student Military Education Group) at Korea Maritime University. The reason why the Naval School Corps was established at the Maritime University is deeply related to the nature and purpose of the school's establishment. The Korea Maritime University was a member of the Ministry of National Defense from 1947 to 1949, and on October 17, 1958, the Naval Reserve Order (Presidential Decree No. 1935) was promulgated and implemented, resembling the Sangseon Academy, where all students were candidates for the school. Over time, there have been several changes to the relevant military service law, and now the selective school group and the boarding service reserve system are in place together. The Marine University's Naval School Corps system was implemented to allow commercial officers (ship's navigators/engineers) and students at the Marine University who train national shipping personnel to work on board commercial ships immediately after graduation. Therefore, students had to complete military science and military training as well as their majors during their enrollment, and the graduation ceremony was held as an appointment ceremony. Most of the graduates were commissioned as second lieutenants and discharged from the military, serving in merchant ships as naval reserves. Some of the graduates served as active naval officers.