The military's personnel has decreased to about 450,000, resulting in the disbandment and integration of 17 units above the division level.
According to data submitted by the Ministry of National Defense and the Military Manpower Administration to Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Choo Mi-ae of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 10th, our military personnel was counted at 450,000 as of last month. This is a decrease of 110,000 compared to 560,000 in 2019, marking an 11-year drop. The number of Army soldiers decreased by 100,000, from 300,000 to 200,000, making up most of the decrease.
Two years ago, the minimum required personnel of 500,000 was breached in a ceasefire situation, and now there are 50,000 fewer than that.
The decrease in military personnel is largely influenced by low birth rates. The active duty determination criteria have been relaxed, leading to an increase in active duty determination rates from 69.8% to 86.7%, a rise of 16.9 percentage points, but this has not offset the overall population decline.
The selection rate for officers (the number of selected personnel compared to the selection plan) has fallen from about 90% in 2019 to 50% last year. If there are not enough officers, securing long-term service personnel becomes difficult, and this could disrupt overall unit operations.
As personnel decreases, units above the division level are also diminishing. The number of such units, which stood at 59 in 2006, is now down to 42, with 17 units disbanded or integrated. The main targets for disbandment were combat units and mobilization units in Gangwon Province and northern Gyeonggi Province. The Army's 28th Infantry Division, stationed in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, is scheduled to be disbanded in November. The missions of the disbanded units will be taken over by nearby units, which may reduce operational efficiency and response capability.
The Ministry of National Defense is implementing measures to support personnel, such as reducing supplementary and active reserve personnel, expanding the female military workforce, and increasing incentives for short-term service. The expansion of civilian personnel in non-combat areas and the extended utilization of officers and non-commissioned officers are also under consideration.