The Army said on the 19th it will overhaul the noncommissioned officer system. It plans to lower the threshold for career service, shorten the time to promotion, and improve working conditions such as pay to cultivate NCOs as core personnel of a future high-tech science and technology force.
The Army unveiled its plan to push "Army NCO comprehensive development 4.0" at a policy roundtable that day. An Army official said the policy reflects the recognition that comprehensive efforts and change are needed to prepare for the Army's manpower shortage and declining enlistment support.
First, the time to promotion to staff sergeant will be reduced. Starting next year, the Army will cut the service time required for promotion to staff sergeant from six years to five. Beginning in 2028, promotion to staff sergeant will be guaranteed after four years of service. Previously, at least six years of service were required to be promoted to staff sergeant. This follows criticism from field units that the excessively long promotion timeline was hurting morale and reducing applications for career service.
The Army also expanded the selection rate for career service to 50% this year. Typically, after commissioning as sergeant, service members complete a set period of service and undergo screening before converting to career service. This rate had been around 20% of the total. Furthermore, starting in 2028, the Army plans to allow 100% selection into career service through screening for those who have no disqualifying factors and wish to convert.
An Army official said the aim is "to confirm career service members early and guarantee job stability for NCOs."
Starting next year, the Army is also pushing to align base pay for junior officers by raising the average monthly wage for sergeants to around 3 million won. This year, the Army raised base pay for sergeants and staff sergeants by 6.6%. In addition, master sergeants with more than 30 years of service had their experience recognized at the level of grade 7 in the civil service hiring process, but the Army and the Ministry of National Defense said they are working to raise it to grade 6 or higher.
In addition, to prevent a decline in pride caused by NCOs being mobilized mainly for unit chores rather than combat readiness or training, the Army will significantly expand civilian outsourcing. To that end, it will consolidate and streamline unit operation tasks from the current 114 to 78. It will also open to NCOs areas once considered the exclusive domain of officers, such as military exchanges with foreign forces and language education.
Another Army official said, "Going forward, NCOs will be at the center of the high-tech science and technology force the Army aims for," adding, "In all fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), drones, and manned-unmanned teaming systems, the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) is selecting positions that NCOs can hold, and we are taking steps to assign these personnel."