Kim Mi-ae, a member of the People Power Party, proposed the 'Partial Amendment Bill to the Military Service Act' on the 19th to expand opportunities for women's active military service and mandate reports on service conditions.
The amendment focuses on enabling women's participation in active military service to respond to the sharp decline in military resources due to low birth rates and concerns about future military vacancies.
According to Kim Mi-ae's office, the South Korean military has seen a reduction of 110,000 troops over the past six years, resulting in a shortage of about 50,000 personnel despite plans to maintain a standing military of 500,000 by 2028.
In particular, forecasts suggest that due to the declining number of births, the annual number of men eligible for military service could drop to around 100,000 in 20 years. The rapid decrease in army personnel and the deepening difficulties in reinforcing combat unit troops necessitate urgent measures for national security.
Under current law, women can serve as active or reserve personnel through applications. However, in practice, there are real constraints, such as selecting only officers and non-commissioned officers.
The amendment proposed by Kim Mi-ae allows the Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration or the chiefs of staff of each military branch to select applicants regardless of gender when recruiting active-duty personnel, thereby opening the path for women to serve. Additionally, the Minister of National Defense must report on the status of women's military service, grievances, and the performance of the system to the National Assembly before the regular session each year.
Kim Mi-ae stated, "The reduction in military resources is a national challenge that is difficult to solve in the short term," adding that "there is a need to expand opportunities for voluntary service participation among women and to improve the system to allow diverse talents to participate in the military, regardless of gender."