Lee calls for selective conscription system, defense reforms aimed at younger generations
The selective conscription system would allow those subject to military service to choose between serving short-term as conscripts or for longer as technology-focused noncommissioned combat officers.
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House on Aug. 13.YONHAP
President Lee Jae Myung suggested that Korea should introduce a selective conscription system and restructure the military around advanced technologies, as the low birthrate shrinks the pool of military personnel.
“[The] battlefield environment is changing rapidly with the rise of AI, drones and robots,” he said in the opening remarks for a meeting of senior secretaries and aides at the Blue House on Thursday. “To prepare for future warfare […] a strategy to reorganize the national defense system around technology and advanced equipment is essential.”
Lee noted that the persistently low birthrate makes it neither desirable nor possible to maintain the current manpower-intensive and infantry-centered military structure.
“We must swiftly and thoroughly pursue reforms to transform our military into a smart, elite and strong force centered on advanced equipment and technology by introducing a selective conscription system,” he said.
The selective conscription system would retain the basic framework of the current one but allow those subject to military service to choose between serving short-term as conscripts or for longer as technology-focused noncommissioned combat officers. The latter would specialize in fields such as AI, drones and cyber operations.
Discussions on the proposed system and its road map continued during a closed-door session.
“It appears that the Ministry of National Defense will announce specific plans for [the selective conscription system] by the end of this year,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said at a briefing after the meeting. “My understanding is that the system will be implemented beginning next year, with adjustments and improvements made afterward based on the results of its initial operation.”
Democratic Party lawmakers hold a press conference on President Lee Jae Myung’s selective conscription system proposal at the National Assembly in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on June 30.YONHAP
Lee also emphasized the need to support younger generations during discussions of the selective conscription system, according to Kang.
“Life is an investment,” the president reportedly said, stressing that time spent in the military should not go to waste. He instructed officials to draw up related plans reflecting young people’s demands and the current situation.
“It’s important to redesign the system so that our young people, who are at the heart of our national defense, can make better plans for their futures,” Lee said during the public portion of the meeting. “I would like policies to be carefully designed so that time spent in the military can serve as a foundation for good jobs, quality education and stable wealth accumulation.”
He added that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that serving in the military does not feel like a waste of one’s life or a disadvantage.
Then-Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung proposes the selective conscription system on Dec. 24, 2021.NEWS1
He also called for improvements in the treatment of junior officers.
“I ask that improvements in the treatment of junior officers be pursued swiftly and boldly,” Lee said. “Ultimately, national defense is carried out by the people. A strong military is created when young people find military service rewarding, and the military provides solid support for their transition into society.”
He then asked relevant ministries to “do their utmost to identify the necessary financial and institutional support policies and implement them promptly.”
The selective conscription system is a military service reform proposal that Lee has advocated since his 2022 presidential campaign.
“A transition to a smart and strong military is essential if we are to take the lead on the battlefields of the future,” he said at a meeting of top military commanders at the Defense Ministry in March. At the time, he called for faster progress on defense reforms, including the selective conscription system.
BY PARK JONG-SUH [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
