Parties clash over Blue House proposal to spur military recruitment with higher NCO pay

Rival parties are clashing over a proposal by the government to modify the mandatory military service requirement to address the falling number of eligible recruits and Korea's changing defense needs.

Ruling Democratic Party (DP) Rep. Kim Byung-joo, a retired four-star general and former deputy commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command — the joint military command overseeing the combined defense of Korea in the event of war — said on Tuesday that a selective volunteer system is a “necessary response” for a country struggling with a declining population, supporting the plan unveiled by President Lee Jae Myung.

The proposal would attempt to spur recruitment by offering higher pay — within budgetary limits — to conscripts who opt to become specialized noncommissioned officers (NCO) with a longer enlistment.

“Our country is facing a great challenge,” Rep. Kim said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul. “The declining population is becoming a big problem. Since the number of troops enlisting in the military is shrinking, the Lee Jae Myung administration pledged a selective volunteer system. This is both a necessary response and a defining mission of our time.”

Kim’s comments endorsed a Blue House initiative seeking to introduce the system that was announced on June 24.

All able-bodied Korean men are required to serve in the military for at least 18 months. Under the proposed selective conscription system, eligible conscripts will be allowed to choose between short-term mandatory conscription and longer-term NCO roles focused on technology-intensive combat, but with higher pay for NCOs than under the current system.

Lee’s plan to alter the current military draft system comes as the number of Korean military personnel continues to fall, dropping from around 560,000 in 2019 to about 450,000 in 2025, according to the Ministry of National Defense. 

The trend shows no sign of reversing, with Korea's birthrate standing at 0.8 last year.  The number of men eligible for active duty service is projected to hover around 151,000 in 2039, according to a report released by Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection in 2021.

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has pushed back against Lee’s plan, saying it may weaken national security.

“President Lee suddenly brought up the idea of a selective volunteer system,” PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said during a press conference on Thursday. “It appears he has grown anxious after his approval ratings among younger people fell. The proposal will only weaken national security and further fuel younger people's anger."

Former PPP Rep. Yoo Seong-min cited structural problems the system could introduce.

“With higher pay for enlistees already requiring significant spending to improve the compensation of junior-rank officers and NCOs, securing the funding needed for a selective voluntary system will not be easy,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Former DP lawmaker and retired Army four-star Gen. Baek Kun-ki, however, pointed out that the voluntary system could recruit longer-term military personnel needed to operate advanced equipment.

"Our combat equipment has become highly modernized and technologically advanced,” Baek said during Tuesday’s press conference. “By the time soldiers become proficient in operating the equipment, usually after about 18 months, they are discharged. I previously served as commander of the Army Special Warfare Command, where all combat personnel are volunteers. Every combat role is filled by NCOs, from technical sergeants upward, while conscripted soldiers are assigned to administrative duties and combat support roles.”

"The selective  volunteer system is essential to building a more professional military.”

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]