Korea’s Mandatory Military Service Is Being Decreased

The South Korean military has recently been making quite a few reforms to make them “smaller and stronger” by next year. In a meeting lead by Defense Minister Suh Wook, cuts to military service will be issued by the end of next year.

Army:  21 months → 18 months

Navy:  23 months → 20 months

Air Force:  24 months → 22 months

Marine Corps:  21 months → 18 months

Social Workers:  24 months → 21 months

Other reforms include increasing the proportion of female servicers and decreasing the amount of one to four-star generals. There have also been 46 out of 76 general positions cut.

All of this is to cope with South Korea’s decreasing population as the chief of the military recruitment agency said the country is expected to experience a troop shortage starting in 2032.