[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Why the Increase in Junior Officers?

Short-Term Service Incentive and Allowances Doubled
Boosting Morale Following Increase in Enlisted Soldiers' Pay

The military is set to increase the salaries of junior officers, highlighting the need to improve their treatment following the raise in soldiers' monthly pay.

On the 3rd, Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop presided over a key commanders' meeting across the armed forces aimed at the "Transformation of the Military into a Combat-Ready Strong Force." The Ministry of National Defense presented five core tasks for this transformation: ▲ Establishing unit operations centered on commanders with a focus on combat missions ▲ Strengthening realistic training based on enemy provocation scenarios ▲ Maximizing the spirit of 'Daeeok Pilseung (Certain Victory over the Enemy)' psychological warfare ▲ Ensuring sustained combat support to guarantee combat power performance ▲ Innovating personnel management to cultivate combat-ready talents.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop is presiding over the All-Army Senior Commanders Meeting for the transformation of the military into a "combat-ready strong force" at the Ministry of National Defense building in Seoul on the 3rd, with key officials from the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and each branch of the military attending, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Seung-gyeom, Army Chief of Staff Park Jeong-hwan, Navy Chief of Staff Lee Jong-ho, Air Force Chief of Staff Jeong Sang-hwa, and Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan.

As part of support to maintain constant combat readiness, the ministry plans to increase the salaries and allowances of junior officers. Short-term service incentives and allowances will be doubled from current levels, and promotion increments for sergeants, performance bonuses for lieutenants, second lieutenants, and sergeants, as well as duty pay, will be raised to the level of civil servants. Additionally, improvements will be made to officers' accommodations, and adequate combat leave will be guaranteed.

To firmly establish a sense of national duty, enemy awareness, and military spirit, the "Basic Textbook for Psychological Warfare Education" will be completely revised in the first half of this year. The functions of the Defense Psychological Warfare Institute will be strengthened, and soldiers' security field experience learning will be increased.

Furthermore, to enhance realistic training, the supply of training ammunition and advanced laser training equipment called "MILES" will be expanded, and in the long term, a comprehensive defense training ground guaranteeing all-weather live-fire exercises will be established.

The clothing system for soldiers will also be dramatically improved with lightweight insulated jackets, functional cold-weather gear and outerwear, and softshells. In addition, personnel management will be innovated to nurture combat-ready talents by awarding extra points in personnel evaluations to combat veterans and outstanding trainees, expanding elite combatant professional qualifications, and applying a rotational unit operation model tailored to each unit's characteristics. The use of civilian personnel in non-combat areas will also be expanded.

Attending the meeting were key officials from the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and each military branch, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Kim Seung-gyeom, Army Chief of Staff Park Jeong-hwan, Navy Chief of Staff Lee Jong-ho, Air Force Chief of Staff Jeong Sang-hwa, and Marine Corps Commandant Kim Gye-hwan.

At the meeting, Minister Lee emphasized, "It is necessary for our military to completely transform its structure into a combat-ready strong force that prioritizes full combat readiness, strengthened realistic training, and established mental preparedness." He added, "The Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and each service headquarters should boldly reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and formalities so that frontline units can focus solely on combat missions, and do their utmost to ensure conditions for unit operations centered on combat missions."