Army personnel from the Republic of Korea Military’s twenty third Infantry Division take part in a subject coaching train in Donghae, Gangwon Province, June 19. Yonhap
Critics query feasibility of proposal to sort out shrinking forces with retirees
By Lee Hyo-jin
A proposal to recruit males of their 50s and 60s for non-combat navy duties, meant to deal with South Korea’s shrinking pool of conscripts, has sparked debate over the function that older males can or can’t play within the nation’s protection.
Army specialists say that the proposal, which includes assigning older males to protect duties, would require a major overhaul of the present navy construction and personnel system, making it impractical right now.
Rep. Sung Il-jong of the ruling conservative Individuals Energy Occasion floated the concept final week as a possible answer to the looming personnel scarcity.
“I consider wholesome and skilled males of their 50s and 60s, who’ve already accomplished their navy service, might assist our armed forces by working as contracted civilian workers or by means of non-public outsourcing,” Sung mentioned in an interview with CBS radio, Friday.
He added that these older males, who are inclined to sleep much less as they age however are wholesome, may very well be appropriate for guard obligation.
The lawmaker pointed to the U.S. Forces Korea mannequin, the place upkeep, restore and operations duties, in addition to non-public navy firm roles, are sometimes outsourced to native civilians.
He additionally recommended that his proposal might create jobs for retired males, providing financial advantages just like these obtained by conscripted troopers, who earn round 2 million received ($1,530) per 30 days.
Underneath present legal guidelines, all non-disabled South Korean males aged between 19 to 35 are required to finish navy service. Afterward, they continue to be within the reserve forces till they flip 40, topic to potential mobilization.
Latest information means that the variety of navy personnel will fall under 400,000 by 2040, down from the present 480,000. The determine dipped under 500,000 for the primary time in 2022.
The anticipated decline in navy personnel has raised issues about South Korea’s nationwide safety, notably on condition that the nation stays technically at conflict with North Korea.
Rep. Sung Il-jong of the ruling Individuals Energy Occasion speaks throughout a parliamentary session on the Nationwide Meeting in Seoul, Aug. 8. Yonhap
“Some older males is likely to be prepared to rejoin the navy as a second profession after retirement,” Kim Dae-young, a navy skilled, mentioned. “However their willingness and what they’ll really contribute in a navy setting are two various things. It could be awkward for a serious or captain of their 30s to present orders to males almost twice their age, particularly in our society, the place age hierarchy issues.”
Kim added that lawmakers’ proposing such unrealistic plans highlights how troublesome it’s to deal with the looming personnel scarcity within the armed forces.
Nonetheless, Sung’s proposal might attraction to members of the Senior Military, a company established in 2023 that consists largely of males of their 50s to 70s who’ve accomplished their navy service.
Underneath the motto “When the nation calls, we serve,” the members voluntarily have interaction in common bodily and tactical coaching to take care of fight readiness. The group, which started with about 500 members, has since grown to 2,000, with the objective of increasing to 100,000.
The Ministry of Nationwide Protection said that at the moment there is no such thing as a official place on the proposal. Nevertheless, some navy officers who spoke to The Korea Occasions questioned its feasibility.
“In contrast to U.S. base camps, which home tens of 1000’s of personnel like a city, our barracks are scattered throughout the nation, with some housing only some hundred troops. It is unclear how we’d accommodate older males of their 50s and 60s in barracks positioned in rural areas or alongside the entrance traces, or even when they might be prepared to serve in distant areas, separated from their households,” one navy official mentioned on situation of anonymity.
One other official mentioned, “Except we consolidate smaller bases into bigger ones, which might require an entire overhaul of the navy construction and personnel system, recruiting senior males for guard duties looks like a distant concept.”
