2,869 Military Officers Voluntarily Discharged in First Half of This Year... 'All-Time High'

Number of Officers on Leave Doubles in Four Years
"Poor Working Conditions to Blame... New Minister Must Take Action"

In the first half of this year, the number of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps officers who voluntarily requested discharge reached approximately 2,800, marking the highest figure on record.

According to data titled "Status of Voluntary Discharge Requests by Military Officers in the First Half of Each Year Over the Past Five Years," submitted by lawmaker Yoo Yongwon of the People Power Party to the Ministry of National Defense on July 28, the number of officers who applied for discharge despite not having reached retirement age was 2,869 in the first half of this year. This is about 2.1 times higher than the 1,351 recorded in the first half of 2021. The number of officers applying for voluntary discharge in the first half of each year has shown a steady increase: 1,351 in 2021, 1,694 in 2022, 2,212 in 2023, and 2,723 in 2024.

On the 7th, soldiers participating in the '2025 Military Personnel Employment Fair' held at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, are listening to employment-related explanations. 2025.5.7. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

In particular, it was found that about 86% of the 2,869 voluntary discharge applicants?2,460 individuals?were non-commissioned officers and company-grade officers. This indicates a deepening trend of military departure among junior and mid-level officers who are responsible for commanding troops and managing operations in field units.

By branch, the Air Force saw 527 officers request voluntary discharge in the first half of this year. This figure is about 2.5 times higher than the same period four years ago and represents the steepest increase among all branches.

The number of officers taking a leave of absence has also been steadily increasing. According to the "Status of Military Officer Leave of Absence in the First Half of Each Year Over the Past Five Years," the number of officers on leave rose from 1,846 in the first half of 2021 to 3,884 in the first half of this year, an increase of about 2.1 times. By branch, the number of Marine Corps officers on leave, which was only 49 in the first half of 2021, rose to 196 in the first half of this year, representing a fourfold increase.

The military attributes the recent surge in officers taking leave to two main factors: the increasing proportion of female officers, and a reduction in reluctance among male officers to use parental leave. However, due to a shortage of personnel to replace those on leave, the workload for remaining officers has intensified. According to lawmaker Yoo's office, urgent measures are needed to address this situation.

The accelerating trend of voluntary discharge and leave among military officers is interpreted as an expression of dissatisfaction with their poor working conditions. In recent years, while conditions for enlisted soldiers have improved significantly?including better meals, permission to use mobile phones after duty hours, and increased pay?officers are still perceived to be at a relative disadvantage, not only compared to enlisted soldiers but also to similar professions such as firefighters and police officers.

In response to these issues, both the military authorities and the National Assembly's National Defense Committee prepared budget increase proposals aimed at improving officer welfare?such as duty allowances, moving expenses, and training meal allowances?during discussions on the main budget for 2025 and the first and second supplementary budgets this year. However, none of these proposals were reflected in the final budgets.

Lawmaker Yoo stated, "Junior and mid-level officers are the core personnel who directly command soldiers and operate units in the front-line field units. The accelerating departure of these officers is a serious issue that could lead to the collapse of the military organization, which is the backbone of our national security." He added, "Now that the new government's first Minister of National Defense has taken office, it is time for the military authorities to seriously consider a variety of measures?including economic incentives?to encourage officers to continue their service."