Air Force Soldier Service Period Shortened by 1 Month Amendment Passed

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter] The amendment to the Military Service Act, which allows the service period of Air Force soldiers to be shortened from 22 months to 21 months, has passed the National Assembly.

According to the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on the 24th, the committee passed the amendment at the plenary session that day. The amendment includes reducing the Air Force service period specified in Article 18 of the existing Military Service Act from "2 years and 4 months" to "2 years and 3 months." The current Article 18 of the Military Service Act stipulates the service periods as 24 months for the Army and Marines, 26 months for the Navy, and 28 months for the Air Force. However, in cases of personnel adjustment or when a reduction in enlistment rates requires adjustment of the service period, it can be shortened within 6 months.

Accordingly, the government has been gradually reducing the service periods, and under the 2018 Defense Reform, the service periods for each branch were ultimately shortened by 6 months. In 2018, it was decided that ▲ Army, Marines, conscripted police, and full-time reservists would be reduced from 21 months to 18 months ▲ Navy, conscripted coast guard, and conscripted firefighters from 23 months to 20 months ▲ Air Force from 24 months to 22 months ▲ Social service agents from 24 months to 21 months.

This amendment was prepared considering the fact that the Air Force serves longer than social service agents and the fairness among the branches. Along with this, the National Defense Committee also approved the enactment of the Defense Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Act, which establishes the legal basis for the development and promotion of science and technology.