South Korea Considers Military Service for Women Amid Declining Recruitment

South Korea is grappling with a potential shift in its long-standing military conscription policy, as a recent survey indicates nearly 60% of the population now supports mandatory military service for young women.

This growing sentiment marks a significant departure from traditional views, where military service has exclusively been a male obligation. The debate is fueled by a confluence of factors, including a declining birth rate and a shrinking pool of eligible male recruits. Proponents argue that social equality necessitates women sharing this civic duty.

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South Korea's male-centered conscription system has long been closely connected to traditional gender roles.

Professor Hyobin Lee of Sogang University notes that South Korea's male-centered conscription system is deeply intertwined with traditional gender roles, where men were expected to protect the nation and women to manage households and childbirth. However, a rising emphasis on gender equality, particularly among younger generations, is challenging these norms. Many young men question why military service, a significant civic obligation, remains solely a male responsibility when societal expectations for rights and opportunities are equal.

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Men were generally expected to protect the country and the family and to fight in wartime, while women were expected to take primary responsibility for childbirth, childcare and the household.

Furthermore, the nature of modern warfare is evolving. The shift from physically demanding combat roles to a defense strategy heavily reliant on technology, such as drones, cyber capabilities, and information technology, reduces the argument for excluding women based on physical limitations. These technological advancements do not inherently favor one gender over another.

The survey, conducted by the policy research arm of the Reform Party, found that almost 60% of respondents favored changing the law for mandatory national service for women, with only 34% opposed. Support was notably higher among men, with nearly 65% in favor, and particularly strong among men in their 20s and 30s. Women across all age groups also showed majority support at 54.5%.

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If society expects equality in rights and opportunities, why does one of the country's most significant civic obligations, military service, still fall only on men?