Latest news with #enlistment
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
South Korea's military falls well below numbers needed for defence
South Korea 's active military has decreased by 20 per cent over the past six years and now stands at 450,000 troops. This decline is primarily due to the country's record-low birthrate of 0.75, leading to a critical shortage of enlistment-age men. The defence ministry reported a 50,000-soldier shortfall from the level deemed necessary for 2025 defence readiness, including a shortage of 21,000 non-commissioned officers. South Korea maintains compulsory military service as it remains technically at war with North Korea, which has an estimated 1.3 million active-duty soldiers. A recent study suggested South Korea needs a minimum of 500,000 troops to effectively repel a potential North Korean assault, warning of a "structurally difficult position to succeed in defence" without "decisive action".
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The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
South Korean military faces manpower crisis as birthrate plummets
South Korea 's active military shrank 20 per cent in six years to 450,000 troops, with the defence ministry warning a declining pool of enlistment-age men was creating critical manpower gaps. The shortfall, driven by the Asian country's record-low birthrate of 0.75, left the military 50,000 soldiers under the level deemed necessary for defence readiness in 2025, the defence ministry said in a report on Sunday. More worryingly, it noted, there was a shortage of 21,000 non-commissioned officers. South Korea upholds compulsory military service partly because it remains technically at war with its rival neighbour North Korea. A study by South Korean researchers released last month noted that the South would need a minimum of 500,000 troops to repel a potential assault from the North, whose active-duty soldiers were estimated to number 1.3 million. The study warned that the imbalance in troop numbers left South Korea in a 'structurally difficult position to succeed in defence' and stressed the need for 'decisive action at the national level' to ensure it was able to field at least 500,000 soldiers. The report was prepared for ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Choo Mi Ae and released by her office. The population of 20-year-old men in South Korea fell by 30 per cent between 2019 and 2025 to about 230,000, according to government data. Age 20 is when most men who pass the physical exam begin their compulsory military service in South Korea. The country is one of the world's fastest-ageing societies. It recorded the lowest fertility rate – the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime – globally of 0.75 last year.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
South Korea's military has shrunk by 20% in six years as male population drops
SEOUL, Aug 10 (Reuters) - South Korea's military shrank by 20% in the past six years to 450,000 troops, largely due to a sharp drop in the population of males of enlistment age for mandatory service in the country with the world's lowest birthrate, a report said on Sunday. The dramatic decline in the pool of available males for military service is also causing a shortfall in the number of officers and could result in operational difficulty if it continues, the defence ministry said in the report. The report was made to the ruling Democratic Party member of parliament Choo Mi-ae, whose office released it. South Korea's military has steadily declined since the early 2000s when it had about 690,000 soldiers. The pace accelerated during the late 2010s and there were about 563,000 active-duty soldiers and officers in 2019. North Korea is believed to have an active-duty military of about 1.2 million, according to the latest estimate by the defence ministry in 2022. In the period between 2019 and 2025, the population of 20-year-old males declined by 30% to 230,000, according to government data, the age when most men who pass a physical exam enlist for military service, which is now 18 months long. The military has cited improved capabilities as a key reason for shortening service periods, made possible by a military alliance with the United States and the development of a defence industry that has become a major exporter of arms. Able-bodied men served 36 months in 1953 when the Korean War ended in an armistice. South Korea's defence budget, at more than 61 trillion won ($43.9 billion) in 2025, is larger than the estimated size of North Korea's economy. Still, the military is 50,000 troops short of the number of troops adequate for maintaining defence readiness, the ministry said. About 21,000 of the shortfall is in the non-commissioned officer ranks, it said. South Korea is one of the world's fastest ageing societies and has the lowest fertility rate in the world at 0.75 in 2024, which signifies the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during her reproductive life. Its population, which hit a peak of 51.8 million in 2020, is expected to shrink to 36.2 million by 2072, according to a government projection. ($1 = 1,388.6900 won)
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cha Eun-woo's camp asks fans not to send letters and gifts
1 Aug - As singer and actor Cha Eun-woo enlisted in the military, his agency Fantagio requested that fans refrain from sending him letters and gifts. On 29 July, through the official fan cafe, the agency announced, "We are well aware of the feelings of Alohas who want to send messages of support to Cha Eun-woo, but military units have difficulty managing large volumes of letters and mail, and there is a risk of loss, so we ask that you refrain from delivering letters and mail." They continued, "Please note that if military life is disrupted due to gift delivery, a penalty may inevitably be imposed at the company level. In addition, all gifts delivered to military units and military-related locations will be disposed of." Meanwhile, Cha Eun-woo entered the Nonsan Army Training Center in South Chungcheong Province on 28 July and began basic military training. After completing training, he will serve as an active-duty soldier in the Army Band. His discharge date is set for 27 January 2027. (Photo Source: Cha Eun-woo IG, Koreaboo)
Russia Today
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukrainians tip off Russia on draft office locations
Ukrainian citizens have provided Russia with the coordinates of local enlistment offices on multiple occasions, Andrey Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, claims. The senior official made the remarks on Tuesday, warning the country's citizens against disclosing the locations of recruitment centers, while threatening them with legal action if they do. 'There have been cases where Ukrainians have sent information to enemy [Telegram] bots. This is true. These people are already known to Ukrainian special services,' Kovalenko stated. In recent days, the Russian military has attacked multiple Ukrainian enlistment offices, which are officially known as territorial centers of recruitment and social support (TCR). In its daily briefing on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry mentioned that TCRs had been among the targets attacked, without providing any further details. Multiple videos circulating online indicate that Geran-2 kamikaze drones were primarily employed in carrying out the strikes. Enlistment offices have reportedly been hit throughout Ukraine, including in Kharkov, Kremenchug, Poltava, the Ukrainian-controlled Russian city of Zaporozhye, and other locations. Online footage suggests that Russia's strikes on TCRs have been welcomed by some Ukrainians, with onlookers heard cheering the attacks. Videos of the strikes have also met with positive reaction online, prompting concerns from Ukrainian officials and public figures. For instance, the former commander of the notorious neo-Nazi Aidar battalion, Yeveny Dikiy, said that welcoming attacks on recruitment offices should be treated as high treason. 'There are real Ukrainian citizens who rejoice at the Russian Federation's strikes on TCRs. This is, in fact, already treason. The SBU should be sent out over such comments, and these people should be prosecuted,' Dikiy stated. Ukrainian mobilization has grown increasingly chaotic and violent over the years of the conflict. Numerous videos circulating online show enlistment officers chasing would-be recruits in the streets, commonly backed by civilian police. Reluctant draftees are sometimes threatened with military-grade weaponry and often beaten, along with any bystanders who attempt to intervene. The mobilization effort has received the moniker 'busification', which describes the process of violently packing recruits into the unmarked minibuses commonly used by TCR officials. Kiev has long dismissing reports of widespread violence and abuse related to mobilization as 'Russian propaganda.' However, last April the country's military did admit that its recruitment process has experienced some hiccups. 'Busification is a shameful phenomenon, and we're doing our best to avoid it,' deputy head of Ukraine's Defense Ministry Lt. Gen. Ivan Gavrilyuk said.
