55th Infantry Division (South Korea)

The 55th Homeland Defense Infantry Division (Korean: 제55향토보병사단) is a military formation of the Republic of Korea Army. The division is subordinated to the Ground Operations Command and headquartered in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. It is in charge of local defense and reserve force training in the southeastern part of Gyeonggi and the Seoul Metropolitan Area. During the wartime, it functions as the regional reserve force in case the main army failed to stop the North Korean invasion through the front line.[1][2]

55th Homeland Defense Infantry Division
제55향토보병사단
Active1975 – present
Country South Korea
Branch Republic of Korea Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Part ofGround Operations Command
Garrison/HQYongin, Gyeonggi Province
Nickname(s)Beacon Fire
Commanders
Current
commander		Maj. Gen. Bae Hyun-guk

History

It was founded under the name of 63rd Army Training Group in 1975. The unit isginia has a torch on it, which is also the origin of its nickname. At that time, subordinate units were also in Suwon and Pyeongtaek. In 1978, some subordinate units were incorporated into the 99th Brigade (now 51st Division) under the 33rd Infantry Division, which had moved to Hwaseong.[3]

Organization
Soldiers from 55th Infantry Division in training with US in 2011.
  • Headquarters:[4]
    • Reconnaissance Battalion
    • Engineer Battalion
    • Mobile Battalion
    • Artillery Battalion
    • Signal Battalion
    • Support Battalion
    • Military Police Battalion
    • Medical Battalion
    • Intelligence Company
    • Chemical Company
    • Air Defense Company
    • Headquarters Company
  • 170th Infantry Brigade
  • 171st Infantry Brigade
  • 172nd Infantry Brigade

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 55th Infantry Division (Republic of Korea).
  1. "55th Infantry Division". www.mma.go.kr (Republic of Korea Army).
  2. "제47주년 향토예비군의 날 기념 행사 개최 - 정책뉴스 | 뉴스 | 대한민국 정책브리핑" (in Korean). M.korea.kr. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  3. "용인 55보병사단, '군부대를 찾아가는 음악회' 개최". m.yonginnews.net.
  4. Pike, John. "FROKA Mobilization Forces". www.globalsecurity.org.
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