This blog post examines the possibility and conditions for abolishing conscription and transitioning to a volunteer system after peace is established on the Korean Peninsula.
Currently, the Republic of Korea adopts conscription, imposing mandatory military service on all males aged 18 and above who meet certain conditions. Consequently, nearly all adult males must fulfill this obligation. This makes military service a major concern for many young people. Nationally, it causes significant economic loss as the workforce in their 20s, who could be engaged in more productive activities, is diverted to the military. Fundamentally, this stems from the Korean Peninsula being divided into North and South, existing in a state of extreme military confrontation that has earned it the reputation as a powder keg. The terrain is mountainous, major cities are densely concentrated, and the proximity of the Armistice Line to Seoul means a large military force is necessary to prevent territorial occupation in the event of war. This naturally leads to the question: if unification were achieved and the North-South confrontation resolved, wouldn’t it be possible to abandon conscription and transition to a volunteer system?
However, I regretfully believe that even if reunification occurs, abandoning conscription will be difficult for practical reasons. First, even if North-South confrontation disappears, threats to the Korean Peninsula’s security will persist and could even intensify. The most prominent threat is China, which is rapidly developing, challenging American hegemony, and aspiring to become a superpower. Even now, China and South Korea are embroiled in conflicts over issues like the Northeast Project and illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea. Considering China’s territorial disputes over the Spratly Islands and the Senkaku Islands, it is highly probable that territorial disputes could arise in border areas like Mount Paektu between a unified Korea and China, which would share a direct border after unification.
Furthermore, in its pursuit of global hegemony, China requires maritime expansion to counterbalance the United States. The Korean Peninsula presents an extremely attractive foothold for China, a continental power, to advance into the oceans, making it a likely target for Chinese ambitions. Moreover, China will likely view the presence of a pro-American nation less than 1,000 km from its capital as a potential threat and seek to neutralize it.
Beyond China, neighboring Japan also has conflicts with Korea, such as over Dokdo. Russia, which would share a new border with a unified Korea, currently has no explicit conflict but, as a major military power second only to the US, could pose a military threat. In this context, unification of the Korean Peninsula, like Germany’s reunification, would require the consent of neighboring countries. China and Russia are highly likely to demand the withdrawal of US forces as a condition for unification. Indeed, China is already demanding the withdrawal of U.S. forces from a unified Korea. In this scenario, it would be difficult to abandon conscription, as it would be necessary to further strengthen independent defense capabilities.
Another concern is that implementing a volunteer military system immediately after unification could lead to regional bias among soldiers. South Korea faces a shortage of military personnel due to declining birth rates and a growing aversion to military service, while young North Koreans are likely to enlist en masse immediately after unification to secure jobs. (Indeed, the German military maintained conscription for 20 years after reunification to prevent such a situation). Furthermore, former high-ranking North Korean military officers are unlikely to be included in the unified Korean military due to their responsibility for human rights abuses and other violations. Consequently, most senior positions within the military would be filled by South Korean personnel. In such a scenario, conflicts within the military could become severe due to differences in mindset between lower-ranking soldiers from North Korea and high-ranking officers from South Korea. Moreover, if personnel from North Korea, who often lack human rights awareness, constitute a significant portion of the military, the potential for problems both within the military and externally increases. Particularly since the military is a group capable of exercising physical force, human rights awareness among soldiers is essential as members of a democratic society. Neglecting this increases the risk of abuse of physical force, making it imperative to resolve the issue of regional bias within the military.
To prevent these problems, a conscription system that maintains a certain ratio regardless of origin is necessary. Currently, a significant number of North Korean youths fail to meet South Korea’s conscription standards due to insufficient physical conditions (according to the East Asia Statistical Yearbook, the average height of North Korean males is 158cm; under South Korea’s military service classification standards, those between 146cm and 158cm are classified as Grade 4, making active duty service impossible). However, after unification, improved nutrition will gradually increase the number of personnel from North Korea, enabling stable military integration.
Of course, conscription carries several problems. The most significant issue in South Korea, which currently implements conscription, is the human rights of conscripted soldiers within the military. The military is inherently an institution that restricts individual freedom, so even if harsh treatment is eradicated, fundamental human rights violations remain. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, the national draft diverts young men in their 20s into military service, causing significant economic loss to the nation. There is also the limitation that the short service period makes it difficult to build the proficiency required to handle advanced weapon systems.
Some propose transitioning to a volunteer military system to address these issues, securing skilled soldiers and reserving civilian conscription only for emergencies. However, the problem of harsh treatment stemming from military culture cannot be solved by introducing a volunteer system alone. In fact, a volunteer system could reduce public attention to problems within the military. Above all, the Korean Peninsula is only about 1,000 km long from north to south and is surrounded by sea on three sides, making rear area defense difficult. This leaves little room to spare for conscripting civilians, training them, and deploying them. Furthermore, forces conscripted from civilians and subjected to short-term training have low proficiency, meaning their combat effectiveness could be poor if deployed to the battlefield. Indeed, the United States, which abolished conscription in 1973 and transitioned to a volunteer system, faced controversy in the 2000s during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars when personnel shortages led to the recruitment of mentally unstable individuals and criminals.
As examined above, a unified Korea needs to maintain conscription, but the problems inherent in conscription cannot be ignored. So what is the best solution?
I propose a militia system as the solution. A militia system is a form of conscription where officers are selected from volunteers, while enlisted personnel pursue civilian occupations until mobilization. Upon call-up, they undergo short-term training and are organized into regular forces during emergencies. Switzerland is a prime example of this system. Adopting a militia system allows for specialization in operating advanced military equipment and resolves regional bias issues. Furthermore, it enables the rapid mobilization of large reserve forces during emergencies, allowing for an effective response to external threats. Under the militia system, actual military service is shortened to a few months, with regular training sessions afterward. This reduces issues of hazing within the military and infringements on individual freedoms. Indeed, Taiwan saw a roughly 30% reduction in service-related fatalities when it transitioned from a 20-month service period under its 2003 volunteer system to a 4-month militia system in 2014. Furthermore, the militia system maintains public attention on military issues, helping to reduce hazing problems. Additionally, it allows maintaining a military force that does not threaten neighboring countries, thereby reducing military tensions.
Conscription inherently restricts fundamental rights and constitutes a human rights violation, making a volunteer system preferable from a human rights perspective. Unfortunately, however, the current reality on the Korean Peninsula makes implementing a volunteer system far from straightforward. While a volunteer system would be ideal in the long term once peace is established on the Korean Peninsula, abolishing conscription is easy, but reintroducing it is very difficult in reality. Particularly, transitioning to a volunteer system while military tensions persist could pose serious risks to national security. Currently, the Korean Peninsula faces ongoing military confrontation with North Korea, and implementing a volunteer system in this context requires consideration of numerous variables.
First, introducing a volunteer system requires a positive shift in societal perceptions about military service. Currently, the military is perceived as a burden by many, and there is a strong tendency to avoid service. Without improving this perception, voluntary recruitment will be difficult, potentially directly impacting the military’s combat effectiveness.
Second, transitioning to a volunteer system necessitates adequate compensation and benefits. Without economic and social rewards for those choosing military service, the effectiveness of a volunteer system will be difficult to enhance. In particular, policies are needed to ensure that long-term military service can lead to career stability and development opportunities.
Third, a system must be established to recruit and retain personnel suitable for military roles requiring expertise and experience. Due to advances in military technology, the level of capability demanded of soldiers has increased, making a continuous education and training system essential. This will cultivate specialized personnel and create an environment where they can grow within the military.
Finally, systems to address human rights issues within the military must be strengthened. With the introduction of a volunteer system, soldiers’ human rights will become even more critical, necessitating enhanced human rights education and related regulations. This will minimize potential human rights violations within the military and ensure military service becomes a valuable experience as a citizen.
In conclusion, while maintaining conscription is necessary given the current reality on the Korean Peninsula, transitioning to a volunteer system is ideal in the long term. This process requires various efforts: changing perceptions of military service, establishing a compensation system, cultivating specialized personnel, and protecting human rights. Considering these points, once peace is established on the Korean Peninsula, introducing a volunteer system will enable the operation of a better military.
