Should women serve? Korea's female conscription debate is back as troop pool shrinks
South Korea’s decade-old debate over female conscription resurfaced during a National Assembly audit this month, amid growing concerns that a shrinking draft-eligible population could undermine military readiness. During a National Assembly defense committee audit on Oct. 12, opposition lawmakers raised the issue, arguing that the time has come for a public discussion as the eligible male…
The Korea Times reports that South Korea's decade-long debate over female conscription has resurfaced as the country's draft-eligible male population continues to decline. During a National Assembly defense committee audit, opposition lawmakers raised the issue, arguing that a shrinking pool of eligible men could threaten military readiness.
The eligible male population has dropped from 332,000 in 2019 to 257,000 in 2022, and is projected to decrease further to 228,000 by 2035 and 120,000 by 2043. Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the People Power Party called for a public discussion on female conscription, emphasizing the need for societal consensus. Rep. Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party suggested "gender-equal conscription" as an option, urging a broader debate on reforming the current system.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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