Northern Europe Without Opposition to Female Conscription... Only a Minority Selected Among Conscription Candidates [News in War History]

Three Northern District Countries Successively Implement Positive Conscription
Only 10-15% of Actual Draft Targets Enlist
Population Always Insufficient... Strategy for Small Elite Forces

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

As Russia raises the possibility of further invading neighboring European countries following Ukraine, neighboring countries sharing borders are on high security alert. In particular, the Nordic countries, which have frequently clashed with Russia throughout history, are rushing to strengthen their defense capabilities by implementing female conscription systems one after another.

Following Norway and Sweden, Denmark has also introduced female conscription, drawing attention from many European countries. In fact, female conscription has become a hot topic for many countries facing low birthrates and aging populations. In South Korea, debates continue over the introduction of such a system.

However, when looking at the actual operation of female conscription in Nordic countries, it is clear that their approach is very different from South Korea’s, which conscripts nearly all young men. This is because Nordic countries, which have historically had small populations, have adopted a basic strategy of cultivating a small elite military force. In this article, we will explore the female conscription systems of these Nordic countries.

Denmark Joins Norway and Sweden in Implementing Female Conscription

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

First, let’s look at the news. On the 13th (local time), Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced a new defense maintenance plan, which included the introduction of female conscription and an extension of service periods as part of defense strengthening measures. Following Norway’s implementation of female conscription in 2015 and Sweden’s in 2017, the Danish government’s announcement to prepare for female conscription has attracted international attention.

With Finland and then Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Baltic Sea region has emerged as a new conflict zone, leading to heightened security concerns among Nordic countries and resulting in the adoption of female conscription systems.

In fact, Denmark already has about 25% of its military personnel as female soldiers, and women have long been able to voluntarily serve in the military, so there has been little opposition from the public or political circles.

The Danish military currently maintains a standing force of around 20,000, including 7,000 to 9,000 professional soldiers. Under the new defense strengthening plan, this number will be significantly increased. By 2028, Denmark plans to establish an infantry brigade of up to 6,000 personnel and build a ground-based air defense network.

Actual Enlistment Rate 10-15% of Conscription Candidates... Strict Selection Process

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The reason female conscription, which sparks heated debate in South Korea, is introduced in Nordic countries without much political friction is attributed to the unique military organizational culture of these countries. Although both adult men and women are subject to conscription, only a carefully selected minority are trained as elite troops, and military personnel receive very good treatment.

According to AFP, Norway, which was the first in Europe to implement female conscription, amended its military service law in 2014 under the term “gender-neutral conscription,” which took effect in 2015 and continues to maintain female conscription. Under this new conscription system, approximately 60,000 men and women who turn 19 each year are all subject to service, but only about 10-15%, roughly 6,000 to 8,000 individuals, are selected to serve in the military.

As of 2022, Norway’s total military personnel numbered about 17,000, of which 9,800 were conscripted mandatory service soldiers, with women accounting for 34.5%. The mandatory service period is 19 months, with one year spent in barracks and the remaining seven months serving as a home guard reserve, similar to South Korea’s territorial reserve forces. Sweden’s female conscription system operates under a similar structure, with service periods ranging from 9 to 12 months. Public opinion polls show that over 80% of citizens are satisfied with female conscription.

Although these countries strengthened their conscription laws due to security threats from Russia, their security situations differ from South Korea’s, allowing them more flexibility in conscription rates.

Nordic Countries with Historically Small Populations Continue Small Elite Military Strategy

The Battle of Poltava fought between Sweden and Russia in 1709 as well. [Image source=Russian Museum]

However, considering historical and security contexts, the Nordic countries’ strategy of cultivating a small elite military force is a system that is difficult for all countries to emulate, as it has very clear advantages and disadvantages.

Historically, Nordic countries have had very small populations, as they do today. For example, Sweden, which competed with Imperial Russia for dominance over the Baltic Sea region in the 18th century, was the dominant power in the Nordic region but had a population of only about 2 million. This was a significant gap compared to Russia’s nearly 20 million population at the time.

As a result, Sweden preferred to develop a small, highly trained elite force to strike the enemy preemptively. The standing army known as the “Karoliner,” led by King Karl XII, was a formidable force in the Nordic region. However, after suffering a major defeat to Russia at the Battle of Poltava in 1709 and losing a significant number of troops, Sweden’s dominance weakened. This small elite force strategy can build strong military power but has the drawback of being vulnerable to a single decisive defeat.

Since then, Nordic countries, including Sweden, have pursued neutrality and ceased external wars after the 19th century, focusing on strengthening small elite professional soldiers, conscripts, and reserves rather than significantly increasing standing army numbers, except during World War II. Within this security environment, they can conscript excellent human resources regardless of gender. Ultimately, while some institutional strengths can be referenced, the practical circumstances differ greatly from those in South Korea.