24-Month Military Service

The length of the nation¡¯s mandatory military service for men has become a hot potato once again among decision makers as a presidential ad hoc commission recommended to President Lee Myung-bak last month that the government readjusts the duration of the mandatory military service to 24 months, longer than previously decided.

The former Roh Moo-hyun administration decided to shorten service periods in the Army, Navy and Air Force by six months to 18, 20 and 22 months, respectively, on a gradual basis by 2014.

The Roh administration¡¯s decision came out of the thought that the procurement of high-tech modern weapon systems carried out according to the Defense Reform Plan (DRP) 2020, would offset the reduction of military service.
Opponents of the longer service claim that today¡¯s modern warfare focuses not on the number of soldiers, but on the employment of weapons and equipments in sea, land and air. It is also desirable for promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the Asia Pacific region with no military augmentation.

They point out that shorter service can help young Korean men prepare for their future life.

On the other hand, proponents of longer service, especially the military authorities, are concerned that the reduction of service period could cause manpower shortages.

¡±With only 18 months of mandatory military duty, it is impossible to maintain a proper defense readiness, given the planned reduction of the nation¡¯s troop levels under the Defense Reform Plan 2020,¡± a retired Army general was quoted as saying.

They also stress that the security situation on the Korean Peninsula is not turning in favor of South Korea, with North Korea¡¯s armed forces and weapons still posing threats against the South.

They point out that due to low birthrate, the number of conscripts will continue to decrease and cause a serious problem in maintaining the adequate number of soldiers necessary for combat readiness.

While a final revision of the DRP 2020 is scheduled to be unveiled by the year¡¯s end, the measures will be further reviewed by the Ministry of National Defense and other related authorities.