Minister of Military Manpower Administration: "Active Duty Personnel Shortage from 2032... Comprehensive Review of Military Service System Needed"

Mojonghwa, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, is taking the oath as a witness at the National Defense Committee's audit of the Military Manpower Administration held at the National Assembly on the 13th. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]Due to the impact of the population cliff phenomenon caused by low birth rates, it is projected that from 2032 onward, the annual required number of active-duty personnel will not be fully replenished.

On the 13th, at the National Assembly National Defense Committee's audit, Military Manpower Administration Commissioner Mo Jong-hwa responded to a question from Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea asking, "From which year do you expect the active-duty resources to start decreasing?" by saying, "From 2032, the annual required active-duty personnel will be 200,000, but it will drop below 180,000, causing a shortage."

Commissioner Mo stated, "Until 2032, it is possible to maintain the required active-duty personnel at 300,000."

He added, "In the next 10 to 15 years, we will face the problem of a shortage of active-duty personnel, so alternatives must be devised," and emphasized, "The military service system needs to be comprehensively reviewed from short-term, mid-term, and long-term perspectives."

In response to a question from Seol Hoon of the Democratic Party of Korea asking, "Shouldn't we establish research groups on systems like the volunteer military to prepare for this?" he said, "In the short term, we are cooperating with the Ministry of National Defense, and we are preparing in our own way for long-term issues."

Regarding the question, "Shouldn't we reduce personnel such as those in alternative service like compulsory police, compulsory fire service, compulsory coast guard, and industrial technical personnel?" Commissioner Mo replied, "(Alternative service personnel) are currently planned to be reduced, and the full-time reservists will also be drastically cut starting from 2023," adding, "It is time to put short-term, mid-term, and long-term measures on the table and consider them. We will actively review this."

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