Lee Jae-myung, "Adjusting Major's Retirement Age, Shortening ROTC Service to 24 Months"

Announcement of Four Major Defense and Veterans Affairs Pledges on the 8th

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, promised on the 8th to improve military service conditions by adjusting the retirement age for majors, shortening the ROTC service period, and raising the salary system for non-commissioned officers.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the joint meeting of city and provincial party chairpersons held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 7th, delivering a greeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Lee’s campaign headquarters’ Peace and Prosperity Committee announced these four major defense and veterans affairs pledges at the party headquarters in Yeouido on the same day.

In the statement, Lee said, "Many excellent military officers are forced to leave the military in their mid-40s due to the military’s rank retirement system," and added, "We will reasonably adjust the retirement age for certain military ranks, including the rank of major." Along with this, he proposed improvements in the treatment of non-commissioned officers, officers, and military personnel, compensation and respect for veterans, relocation of urban military units and ammunition depots, and revitalization of the defense industry.

He also announced a plan to shorten the mandatory service period for short-term officers, who are facing difficulties in securing talented personnel, by reducing soldiers’ service periods. He stated, "The ROTC officers’ service period of 28 months will be gradually shortened to 24 months during the term, and the service period for bachelor’s degree officers will also be reasonably adjusted."

Furthermore, the pledges include raising the monthly salary of entry-level non-commissioned officers, lifting regional restrictions on jeonse loans, providing actual moving expenses support, realizing housing allowances, and prioritizing accommodation support for military personnel working in frontline and remote areas. At the same time, he promised to reorganize the veterans’ compensation system, expand electronic review for veterans’ assessments, introduce veterans’ primary care physicians, improve veterans’ access to medical treatment, and consider promoting the establishment of comprehensive veterans welfare towns. He also pledged to improve the procedures for handling deaths and injuries of firefighters, soldiers, and police officers in the line of duty and to take full responsibility for trauma incurred during official duties.

He continued by stating that facilities that need to be relocated from urban areas to outskirts will be identified and moved, and existing above-ground ammunition depots will be modernized and moved underground. Lee said, "We will return idle military land to the public by moving ammunition depots underground and relocating urban military units to outskirts."

He also mentioned plans to foster the defense industry as a new growth engine for the Korean economy and to leap into the top five defense exporters. The plan includes demonstrating the Lee Jae-myung administration’s key Big 10 technologies, such as 4th industrial revolution technologies, within the military, standardizing the proven technologies, and introducing a system to rapidly commercialize products. By 2027, a total of 50 small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in materials, parts, and equipment will be nurtured.