Sharp Increase in Early Discharge of Junior Military Officers from Military Academies [Yang Nakgyu's Defence Club]

Most Discharge Applicants in the Past 5 Years
Rep. Yoo Yong-won Urges "Urgent Solutions Suitable for Junior Officers"

Junior officers from each military academy are leaving the armed forces. The number of junior officers from each branch applying for discharge this year is the highest in the past five years, indicating a serious trend of military attrition.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of National Defense to Yoo Yong-won, a member of the People Power Party in the National Assembly, titled ‘Number of 5-year discharge applicants among officers from military academies in the past 5 years,’ this year has the highest number of discharge applicants.

The number of officers from the Korea Army Academy increased from 29 last year to 56 this year, officers from the Korea Naval Academy rose from 13 to 29, and officers from the Korea Air Force Academy went up from 6 to 23. According to the Military Personnel Act, officers who graduate from each military academy have a mandatory service period of 10 years. However, they can apply for discharge in their 5th year of commission immediately after graduation. Discharge is possible for reasons such as aptitude, health, or maladjustment to service. Each branch reviews the possibility of discharge considering the quota by branch.

Inside and outside the military, there is concern as the application rate for junior non-commissioned officers and officers declines every year, while the number of discharge applications from company-grade officers (Second Lieutenant to Captain) is increasing. The military views the reasons junior officers want to leave as feelings of deprivation caused by recent soldier-centered policies such as pay raises. It also judges that rejection of excessive workload and rigid military culture has an influence.

Some voices suggest that as the number of discharge applications from junior officers from military academies increases, the cost of training academy officers should be recovered. According to the Korea ROTC Central Association, the cost of training one officer from the Korea Army Academy and Korea Naval Academy is 246 million KRW. The Korea Air Force Academy costs about 244 million KRW, and the Korea Nursing Academy about 144 million KRW per officer.

Representative Yoo said, “Amid concerns about whether the military can maintain appropriate troop levels due to the demographic cliff, we must have a sense of crisis regarding the attrition of junior officers,” adding, “Since junior officers are also part of the MZ generation like enlisted soldiers, solutions and communication tailored to generational characteristics are necessary.”