[Viewpoint] Let’s Recruit Foreigners into the South Korean Military

Only gloomy news is heard about our economy. It was only revealed on the 23rd that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projected South Korea's potential growth rate for this year at 1.9%. This is the first time the potential growth rate has fallen below 2%. The estimated potential growth rate for next year was lowered further to 1.7%. The potential growth rate refers to the maximum growth rate achievable by fully utilizing production factors such as resources, capital, and labor. The long-feared "low-growth era" has finally begun.

The biggest cause of the decline in South Korea's potential growth rate can be found in the rapid population decrease. According to the "August Population Trends" released by Statistics Korea on the 25th, the number of births in August was 18,984, a 12.8% (2,798) decrease compared to the same month last year. This is the first time since statistics began in 1981 that the number of births in August fell below 20,000. The number of births decreased from 357,771 in 2017 to 249,186 last year. The number of deaths last year was 372,939, resulting in a natural population decrease of 123,753. Since the shift from natural increase to natural decrease in 2020, the extent of natural decrease has been steadily growing. The total fertility rate is 0.78, meaning that on average, one woman is expected to give birth to only 0.78 children in her lifetime. The "low birthrate and aging population," in other words, the "population cliff," poses a significant potential disaster for us.

Various problems caused by low birthrate and aging population are observed everywhere. According to a report by the National Assembly Budget Office, the youth population (ages 0-14), which was 6.32 million in 2020, is projected to decrease by 49.6% to 3.18 million by 2040. One can intuitively sense the numerous problems and confusion that will arise from the decline in the number of students. Many universities will have to close, or find ways to survive by attracting international students. As it becomes harder to find part-time workers, unmanned stores will increase, and labor shortages in companies and rural areas will become even more severe. Labor costs will inevitably rise. It is also well known that the number of taxpayers will decrease. A military official I recently met said, "The number of young people enlisting in the military is decreasing, and it is expected that the military strength will decrease by the size of one division every year," adding, "No matter how advanced the military equipment is, a shortage of personnel will cause a significant gap in military power."

Not many citizens pay attention to the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee chaired by President Yoon Seok-yeol. A considerable number of people may not even know of its existence. The committee's main tasks focus on resolving low birthrate and securing jobs and welfare for the elderly. Concrete measures to address the labor and military personnel shortages and the socioeconomic negative impacts caused by the immediate population decline have not yet been formulated. To discuss this, the committee formed an inter-ministerial "Population Policy Planning Team" last June.

If we do not properly respond to the population cliff, our society will find it difficult to avoid shock. One possible approach is to supplement military personnel and secure foreign labor by enlisting qualified foreigners into the South Korean military and helping them settle as citizens of the Republic of Korea. Before enlistment, they could be educated in Korean language and history, and through military service, develop patriotism and civic consciousness. We hope the Population Policy Planning Team will gather various ideas and serve as a "Population Cliff Task Force (TF)" to prepare effective countermeasures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.