Discussion on "Women Serving in the Military" Heats Up in South Korea

[Global Times Special Correspondent in South Korea, Dong Xiaodong] The South Korean newspaper "Daily Economy" reported on the 18th that the low birth rate has led to a continuous decrease in military personnel, and discussions about whether women should serve in the military have once again intensified in South Korea. Several members of the National Assembly recently demanded that the government begin researching a conscription system for women during a national inspection of the Military Manpower Administration. The Military Manpower Administration stated that it is not currently considering this and that social discussions should first be conducted to form a national consensus.

Discussions regarding female conscription in South Korea have been ongoing for many years. In 2017, a petition demanding that women serve in the military received support from over 120,000 people at the Blue House. In 2021, a similar petition garnered over 290,000 approvals, and a National Assembly petition requesting amendments to the Military Service Act to change female service from voluntary to mandatory also received support from 100,000 people, entering the review process in relevant committees. The Blue House responded at the time that a cautious decision should be made after sufficient discussion and the formation of a social consensus.

Yoo Yong-ha, a member of the largest opposition party, the People Power Party, stated, "Now is the time to put the female conscription system on the agenda," and suggested reserving a preparation period of 3 to 5 years to study the necessary adjustments to the military for female service.

Chun Hee-ran, a member of the Reform Party, also believes that it is not enough to tap into the dwindling male military sources and that both men and women should share the obligation of military service.

Data from the South Korean Ministry of National Defense shows that the number of male military personnel aged 20 has decreased from 332,000 in 2019 to 257,000 in 2022, and is expected to drop to 120,000 by 2043. The standing military force has also decreased from 563,000 in 2019 to about 450,000 in July of last year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, a survey conducted by the Reform Research Institute of the Reform Party in August this year among 1,006 South Koreans aged 18 and older showed that 59.6% of respondents support female conscription, while 34.0% oppose it. Among men, the support rate is 64.8%, while for women it is 54.5%. Support rates exceed half across all age groups.

According to the "Korea Economic Daily," a female netizen commented on social media that bullets do not avoid women, and women should also receive training to have self-defense capabilities. A 29-year-old former female officer, Kim, believes that there are not only combat positions in the military, but women can also play to their strengths in administrative roles. At a time of population decline, women should contribute to national security. However, some netizens are concerned that the burden of military service combined with childbirth and childcare responsibilities will make more women reluctant to have children; others have called for measures to prevent female soldiers from suffering sexual assault.

Some military experts argue that it is too early to introduce a system due to issues such as the accommodation of women, conflicts between men and women in the military, and physical limitations in executing combat missions. Choi Gi-il, a professor of military studies at Sangji University, emphasized that the discussion should also include combat concepts, military structure, and organization. Some experts advocate extending the service period from 18 months to 24 months and accelerating the introduction of unmanned equipment.     

The head of the Military Manpower Administration, Hong Jae-young, stated during the National Assembly's inspection of the Military Manpower Administration that female conscription has "significant social implications," and at this stage, the proportion of female officers and non-commissioned officers will be gradually increased, emphasizing the importance of forming a national consensus through social discussions.