On July 27, 1953, the three-year Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. Nearly 63 years later, inter-Korean tensions are at their highest point in years as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issues threats of nuclear strikes against the South and the U.S.
The peculiar background means South Korea still has mandatory conscription for all able-bodied men. Nearly all adult men in Korea have hoisted and fired a gun and marched in military uniform with the purpose of protecting their country.
It is not just the enlisted men. The Defense Ministry projects the number of enlisted women — some 9,759 as of early this year — to surpass 10,000 by the end of the year.
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From soldiers to officers, men and women in armed service say that it is a job that calls for a firm will and a sense of duty to protect one’s country.
“The military is the final line of defense to protect the country, which requires a clear sense of duty and state, along with willingness to sacrifice one’s life. Being a soldier means you put the state over (yourself as) an individual,” said Yoon Han-doo, a retired Air Force brigadier general.
For most of South Korea’s 700,000 troops, the road to military service begins with contact by the Military Manpower Administration, which handles the conscription process. After going through physical and mental check-ups and subsequent training, men are deployed to each unit, with some candidates being designated to special assignments including medical and administrative duties.
Army, Navy and Air Force officers are trained at the Korea Military Academy, Republic of Korea Naval Academy and Republic of Korea Air Force Academy. Those set to serve their mandatory services can apply to Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.
Being a servicemen has some downsides too, namely the extremely low monthly wages for conscripted soldiers. Pay ranged from 129,400 won ($112) a month for private second class to 171,400 won for sergeants in 2015. The legal minimum monthly wage for a 40 hour-a-week job is 1.26 million won.
Even Yoon, who was a medical officer, mentioned poor financial status as one of the worst things about joining the military.
“Poor finances, frequent transfers, meals I have away from my family and all those lonely nights were what made me want to quit,” the 59-year-old said.
Adapting to civilian life is another issue for former soldiers. A former military officer said that there was a fundamental difference between how the military and how society works.
“In the military, everything is excused for the ultimate purpose of preparing for war. But society requires immediate and cost-effective results,” he said.
The lack of tangible productivity has caused some people to question the purpose of the military and the transparency of its operation, particularly with national defense being one of the most costly government operations. The defense budget for this year is 38.8 trillion won, up 1.3 trillion won from the year before.
Conscripted soldiers also often lament the nearly two-year period spent in the military during the prime of their lives.
“When I was back from my two years military service, girls who started college with me were already nearing graduation. I had to start work that much later,” said a 32-year-old office worker Song Min-ho.
Retaining South Korea’s armed forces is a pricey operation in various aspects, ranging from money to time dedicated by the youth.
But as a result, it yields a single but crucial product: safety.
“Citizens and lawmakers ask, ‘What does the military do? They spend all that money with no result to show for it.’ Well, because of the military, people get to sleep safely at night,” said Yoon. “The sense of fulfillment from accomplishing given tasks is what kept me going as a military man.”
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)
