Conscription in South Korea

Conscription, or mandatory military service or compulsory national service, is legislated in South Korea, with military service stated as one of the Four Constitutional Duties (along with taxes, education, and labor) for all citizens. The current Conscription Law, however, applies only to males, although women are allowed to enroll in the Reserve Officer Training Corps as of 2010.^[1]

It is administer by the Military Manpower Administration. There are two tiers of service: active duty or non-active duty service.^[2] Length of service varies according to branches: 21 months for Army and Marine Corps, 23 months for Navy, 24 months for Air Force.^[3] The non-active duty service, eg civil service or public service worker, is from 26 months to 36 months.

South Korea currently has among the longest military service periods in the world, ranked behind Israel. In recent years, there has been pressure from the public demanding either a shortening of the term or a switch to voluntary military service. However in December 2010, after taking into consideration of the 2010 ROKS Cheonan sinking and Bombardment of Yeonpyeong incidents, the government confirmed that there will be no reduction of service periods.^[3]

Notable enlistments

• Ji Sung: 7 June 2005 (24 months) - at the Nonsan military camp in Chungcheongnam-do Province followed by active duty with the army^[4] and designated as public ambassador of military affairs. Discharged on 6 June 2007.^[5]

• Kim Dong Wan of Shinhwa: November 2008 (24 months) - as an administrative worker at the Seodaemun-gu District Office, after four weeks of basic army training camp in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do^[6] Discharged on 17 December 2010.^[7]

• Zo In Sung: November 2008 (25 months) - Air Force and military band at Osan Air Force headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. Discharged on 4 May 2011^[8]

• Lee Jae Won of H.O.T.: 2009 (22 months) - Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Discharged on 7 March 2011^[9]

• Jun Jin of Shinhwa: 22 October 2009 (24 months) as public service worker after four weeks of basic training at the Nonsan military camp in Chungcheongnam-do Province.^[10] Due to be discharged on 14 November 2011.^[11]

• Andy Lee of Shinhwa: 11 January 2010 (21 months) - Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.^[12] Discharged on 31 October 2011.^[13]

• Hyun Bin: 7 March 2011 (21 months) - Marine Corps in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, due to be discharged on 6 December 2012^[14]

• Kim Heechul of Super Junior: 1 September 2011 (for 23 months) as public service worker after four weeks of basic training at the Nonsan military camp in Chungcheongnam-do Province.^[15]

• Rain: 11 October 2011 (for 21 months) at the 306th Army draft camp in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do province.^[16][17]

• Hwanhee of Fly to the Sky: 27 October 2011 (for 23 months) as public service worker after four weeks of basic training at the Nonsan military camp in Chungcheongnam-do Province.^[18]

Controversies

Those found or accused of draft dodging often face public backlash. According to Ha Jae-keun, a South Korean pop columnist, "The mood against draft dodgers is so hostile that nowadays entertainers feel it's better to simply get it over with".^[16]

Steve Yoo

In 2002, right before Korean American pop singer Steve Yoo was due to be drafted for his military service, he gave up his Korean nationality and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He was born in Seoul and migrated to the United States at the age of 13. The South Korean government considered it an act of desertion and deported him, banning him from entering the country permanently.^[19]

Song Seung-heon

In late 2004, it was revealed that actor Song Seung-heon had avoided his draft by taking medication to fail the military physical examination. Song had previously been exempted by claiming to have severe diabetes and high blood pressure, but that was found by the South Korean government to be false.^[20] Amidst press coverage and public outcry, Song publicly apologised and agreed to immediately serve his two-year term in the military. Song was discharged on 15 November 2006 with the rank of Corporal.^[21][22]

MC Mong

On 11 April 2011, rapper MC Mong was cleared of intentionally pulling out healthy teeth to be exempted from military duty but was sentenced to a suspended jail term of 6 months, probation for one year, and 120 hours of community service, for deliberately delaying enlistment on false grounds.^[23] The court acknowledged that there was a delay in his military enlistment, however, they were unable to determine whether he was guilty of extracting teeth for the purpose of avoiding his military draft. In September 2011, it was reported that Mong has been banned by Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) from appearing in its TV shows, for draft dodging.^[24]

See also

• Republic of Korea Armed Forces

References

1. ^ "Women are showing keen interest in ROTC" Joongang Daily. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-22
2. ^ "Too Late for 'Toothless Rapper' to Join the Military" Chosun Ilbo. 29 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-14
3. ^ ^{a b} "Plan to cut compulsory military service scrapped" Joongang Daily. 22 December 2010. Retrieved 2011-10-22
4. ^ "Ji Sung Joins Army" KBS Global. 8 June 2005. Retrieved 2011-11-11
5. ^ "Actor Ji Sung Becomes Military's Ambassador". The Korea Times, 1 February 2006. http://search.hankooki.com/times/times_view.php?term=ji+sung++&path=hankooki3/times/lpage/nation/200602/kt2006020120043344430.htm&media=kt. Retrieved 2011-11-11. 
6. ^ "Boot camp beckons for boy band balladeer" Joongang Daily. 19 November 2008. Retrieved 2011-11-08
7. ^ "Shinhwa singer discharged" Joongang Daily. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 2011-11-08
8. ^ "Zo completes military service" Joongang Daily. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-22
9. ^ "Lee Jin-wook Completes Military Service" Chosun Ilbo. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-14
10. ^ Park So-yoen "Fans from Asia see off Jun Jin to army" 10 Asia. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 2011-11-11
11. ^ Kim, Jessica "Jun Jin to be discharged from military next week" 10 Asia. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-11
12. ^ "Singer Andy to Start Military Service" Chosun Ilbo. 5 January 2010. Retrieved 2011-11-05
13. ^ "Andy of the group Shinhwa speak to fans after completing his mandatory military service in Yongsan, Seoul on Monday" Chosun Ilbo. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-05
14. ^ "Hyun Bin joins Marine Corps" Korea Times. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-14
15. ^ "Super Junior’s Kim Hee-chul makes plans to be a military man" Joongang Daily. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-22
16. ^ ^{a b} "South Korean singer Rain reports for military service" BBC News. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-14
17. ^ "Teardrops Fall as Rain Enlists in Army" Chosun Ilbo. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-13
18. ^ "Hwanhee to enter military on Oct 27" 10 Asia. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-22
19. ^ Seo, Ji-eun "Steve Yoo isn’t coming back to Korea" Joongang Daily. 20 October 2011. retrieved 2011-11-08
20. ^ (Korean) "최지우, '승헌이에게 말 걸어볼까?" SSTV. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 2011-11-06
21. ^ "Song Seung-heon, Jang Hyeok Discharged from Military" HanCinema. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-14
22. ^ (Korean) "Song Seung-heon discharged from the army" Yahoo News Korea, 2006-11-18.^{[dead link]}
23. ^ "Rapper Gets Suspended Jail Term for Draft Dodging" Chosun Ilbo. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-14
24. ^ "KBS, MBC release list of 36 banned entertainers" Dong-A Ilbo. 28 Spetember 2011. 2011-10-14