Lee calls for defense reforms centered on 'smart' military, selective conscription

Seoul, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung directed his senior advisors to expedite defense reforms focused on establishing a "smart" military utilizing cutting-edge technology and selective conscription. At a meeting with his senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee emphasized that South Korea's declining birth rate renders the existing military structure inefficient and undesirable.

He stressed the necessity of implementing selective conscription and swiftly progressing with defense reforms to convert the military into a highly skilled, elite, and robust force based on advanced equipment and technology.

According to Lee, the primary objective of this process is to redesign the system in a way that enables the youth, the backbone of national defense, to secure better life prospects for the future. In South Korea, all physically capable men are mandated to serve at least 18 months in the military, while others are either exempt or must engage in alternative forms of service. Lee advocated for policies that would ensure military service leads to meaningful employment, education, and stable wealth accumulation.

Lee underscored the government's responsibility to ensure that individuals do not perceive their military service as a waste of their lives or a loss.