Volunteer military system needs careful, long-term discussion
A governing Democratic Party of Korea think tank has released a report suggesting replacing the country's mandatory military service with a volunteer system. The Institute for Democracy said, "A volunteer military system will be the inevitable choice to make our military stronger and better in the face of a demographic cliff."
The report said Korea cannot maintain the current draft system, noting that the number of conscripts will be smaller than the required number of servicemen beginning 2025. The adoption of the volunteer system would relieve young people's unemployment woes and make the military more specialized by recruiting long-term professional soldiers.
However, the recommendation received harsh criticism. At a time when the prospects for North Korea's denuclearization are elusive, critics argue it's too early to discuss a volunteer system. If such a system is adopted, they added, children from poor families could end up bearing the burden of military service while those from rich households avoid it.
Some experts lashed out at the report, saying the liberal Moon Jae-in administration is reducing the mandatory military service to 18 months amid concerns about declining draftees. They also said it was doubtful the country could afford the huge cost needed to adopt the volunteer system, including increased personnel costs.
The ruling party said it has not officially discussed the matter yet; but there is every reason to suspect the party's think tank floated the idea to win the hearts and minds of young people in the run-up to the general election next year.
The volunteer system has clear pros and cons, and public opinion remains split over its adoption. The matter should therefore be discussed carefully from the long-term perspective. It's certainly wrong to use national defense issue as a means of wooing votes from younger members of the electorate.
A governing Democratic Party of Korea think tank has released a report suggesting replacing the country's mandatory military service with a volunteer system. The Institute for Democracy said, "A volunteer military system will be the inevitable choice to make our military stronger and better in the face of a demographic cliff."
The report said Korea cannot maintain the current draft system, noting that the number of conscripts will be smaller than the required number of servicemen beginning 2025. The adoption of the volunteer system would relieve young people's unemployment woes and make the military more specialized by recruiting long-term professional soldiers.
However, the recommendation received harsh criticism. At a time when the prospects for North Korea's denuclearization are elusive, critics argue it's too early to discuss a volunteer system. If such a system is adopted, they added, children from poor families could end up bearing the burden of military service while those from rich households avoid it.
Some experts lashed out at the report, saying the liberal Moon Jae-in administration is reducing the mandatory military service to 18 months amid concerns about declining draftees. They also said it was doubtful the country could afford the huge cost needed to adopt the volunteer system, including increased personnel costs.
The ruling party said it has not officially discussed the matter yet; but there is every reason to suspect the party's think tank floated the idea to win the hearts and minds of young people in the run-up to the general election next year.
The volunteer system has clear pros and cons, and public opinion remains split over its adoption. The matter should therefore be discussed carefully from the long-term perspective. It's certainly wrong to use national defense issue as a means of wooing votes from younger members of the electorate.
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