[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] "Let's get the increased salary"… Soldiers reluctant to enlist in the second half of the year

Analysis of Data by National Assembly Defense Committee Member Song Okju
Avoidance of Enlistment in the Second Half Due to Reasons Such as Returning to School

It has been revealed that soldiers scheduled to enlist are avoiding enlistment in the second half of the year every year. As the enlistment period of soldiers concentrates in a specific period, the rank imbalance phenomenon has become severe, making it inevitable to disrupt unit operations.

According to data submitted by the Military Manpower Administration to Song Ok-ju, a member of the National Assembly Defense Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the recruitment rate for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in the fourth quarter of last year was only 62.8% on average. This means that out of 10 recruits during the three months from October to December, 4 were not recruited.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The avoidance phenomenon among soldiers scheduled to enlist in the Navy and Marine Corps is becoming increasingly serious. The recruitment rates for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in the fourth quarter of 2020 were 86.9%, 106.1%, 91.4%, and 93.9%, respectively. However, last year, these rates dropped to 64.8%, 37.5%, 75.7%, and 32%.

It is generally understood that soldiers scheduled to enlist avoid the second half of the year due to the timing of returning to school. However, considering that the recruitment rate in the second half of the year has never fallen below 80% in the past five years, urgent measures are needed.

Lawmaker Song is also focusing on the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s ‘gradual increase in soldier salaries’ policy as a reason for avoiding enlistment in the second half of the year. For example, if one enlists in the military in the fourth quarter of last year, the salary for a private second class was 511,000 KRW per month, but if enlisting in the first quarter of this year, the salary is 600,000 KRW. Thus, postponing enlistment from the second half of the year to the next year allows one to receive the increased salary. According to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s pledge of ‘2 million KRW monthly soldier salary,’ the current salary for a sergeant (including support funds), which is about 1.3 million KRW, will rise to 1.65 million KRW next year and 2.05 million KRW in 2025. Because of this, the avoidance of enlistment in the second half of the year is expected to continue until next year, the year before 2025 when the salary increase peaks.

Lawmaker Song emphasized, "If the phenomenon of enlistment concentrating in a specific period continues, it is obvious that operational disruptions will occur in frontline units facing manpower shortages," and added, "The Ministry of National Defense must identify the causes of the intensified concentration of enlistment timing among young people and prepare measures to alleviate this."