South Korean President Calls for Reform of the Military Service System
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung called for prompt reform of the military conscription system, while maintaining universal conscription and expanding opportunities for long-term professional service. He made the statement Thursday during a weekly meeting with senior aides and secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, according to the Korea Herald.
Lee proposed introducing a selective voluntary enlistment system as part of the reorganization of the armed forces into a technologically advanced and highly trained military. He said that advances in artificial intelligence, drones, and robotics are rapidly changing the modern battlefield, while the country is facing a declining birth rate.
Under the proposed hybrid model, South Korea will retain its basic universal conscription system but expand opportunities for recruits to choose longer-term service in professional non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer positions. Particular attention will be given to fields requiring technical training, specifically artificial intelligence, drones, and cybersecurity.
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The president also emphasized the need to overhaul the personnel system so that military service helps young people obtain a quality education, gain employment prospects, and achieve financial stability during and after their service. Separately, he called for rapid improvements to the pay and service conditions of junior officers, as well as sergeants and non-commissioned officers.
The initiative is not new: Lee Jae-myung advocated for selective voluntary service even during his presidential campaign. On June 24, while visiting Yeonpyeong Island near the inter-Korean maritime border in the West Sea, he reiterated his intention to reduce the number of military personnel serving under conscription and to create more opportunities for people to choose a career in the military. The Ministry of Defense announced the following day that it is developing this system in tandem with the restructuring of the armed forces around cutting-edge science and technology.
