Yoon Orders On-Site Inspection: "Military Junior Officers' Dormitories Are Poor... Go See for Yourself"

Yoon Orders On-Site Inspections of Single-Person Dormitories and Military Apartments
Shared Views on "Improving Junior Officer Treatment" During Presidential Campaign

President Yoon Suk-yeol has reportedly instructed his aides to personally visit the accommodations of junior military officers (commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers). The intention is to observe the living conditions of junior military personnel firsthand and seek ways to improve them.

According to senior officials at the Presidential Office on the 14th, during a meeting with his aides, President Yoon ordered on-site inspections of living facilities such as single-person dormitories for junior officers and military apartments. Drawing from his own experience visiting barracks accommodations, President Yoon reportedly emphasized the need to "ensure proper living conditions for junior military officers."

As the government aims to raise soldiers' monthly pay to 2 million won by 2025, concerns have emerged about the salary inversion between junior officers and non-commissioned officers, leading to a gradual decline in recruitment rates for officers and NCOs. Moreover, voices calling for improvements in the outdated junior officers' dormitories and treatment, exemplified by the current duty allowance (10,000 won on weekdays, 20,000 won on weekends), are growing louder.

Since his presidential campaign, President Yoon has expressed sympathy for improving the treatment of junior military officers who have chosen a career as professional soldiers to serve the country. In December 2021, during his first security schedule as a presidential candidate, he visited the Baekgol Unit in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, and pledged to improve the treatment of junior officers and NCOs.

The promises made at that time focused on a comprehensive reform of military housing support policies, centering on public-standard military apartments and 'single-person household type' dormitories to meet the needs of soldiers and their families. It also included the realization of various allowances such as hazard duty pay, special duty pay, overtime pay, and housing allowances, along with reforms to the payment system.

The Ministry of National Defense estimates that an additional approximately 200 billion won will be needed on top of the existing budget of 148.3 billion won to increase housing support and various allowances for junior military officers. To realize improvements such as raising and expanding housing allowance payments, increasing short-term service incentives, and duty pay, securing a large-scale budget is essential. President Yoon reportedly urged the Ministry of Strategy and Finance to provide budget support, emphasizing that even amid tax revenue shortages, improving the treatment of junior officers must be prioritized.

At the Cabinet meeting the previous day, President Yoon also stressed, "Each ministry must thoroughly review the indiscriminately increased subsidy budgets and reflect the results in next year's budget," adding, "Public funds should be used where truly necessary, such as improving the treatment of junior officers and NCOs who silently dedicate themselves to national security despite harsh environments and conditions."