South Korea's Army plans to assign dedicated units to border outposts at two divisions in 2027, seeking more training time for combat troops as the pool of people eligible for service shrinks.
At an Oct. 19 National Assembly audit, the Army outlined an Oct. 1, 2027, start for general outpost (GOP) guard groups at the 5th and 22nd Infantry Divisions, Yonhap and NewsPim reported. The groups would be an initial step toward the corps-level guard brigades described in the Ministry of National Defense's 2023 Defense Innovation 4.0 plan.
The proposal would shift outpost duty from front-line brigades, which currently provide guards on rotation, to specialized groups. Other combat units behind the GOP would gain more time for training and readiness. The Army also plans to assign one infantry battalion to each affected forward brigade, according to the reports.
Yonhap and The Korea Herald reported that the ministry is considering a phased reduction in guard staffing from about 22,000 as of Oct. 2026 to around 6,000 by 2040. The reports do not specify precisely which border and coastal assignments are included in that count. The ministry has linked military restructuring to a shrinking pool of people eligible for service.
The staffing proposal accompanies a longer technology timetable. Yonhap and Segye Ilbo reported Army targets of 2028 for a wider GOP surveillance upgrade, 2031 for AI-based coastal monitoring and 2033 for an AI-based border operations control system. Those are targets for planned systems.
Some equipment is already in use at the 22nd Division. DAPA said surveillance cameras and control systems incorporating AI video analysis were deployed to the 22nd Division's GOP and coastal units in December 2024. The upgrade also introduced improved thermal-imaging cameras to address detection problems, including false alarms.
DAPA's original schedule for the broader GOP project ran through 2026. The National Assembly Budget Office said lawmakers approved 5.094 billion won for the project in 2026, compared with the government's 129.14 billion won proposal, after a schedule delay. Its review does not establish whether the Army's 2028 target covers the same project scope.
The Army plans to assess the two groups before deciding on a corps-level rollout, Yonhap and NewsPim reported. Their planned establishment on Oct. 1, 2027, is the next stated milestone; no date has been reported for the brigades.
