Explained: Why's military service mandatory in S Korea, not sparing even BTS? Know history, controversies

The mandatory military service in South Korea has suddenly become one of the hot topics of conversation as K-pop singer and BTS member Jung Ho-seok, more popular by his stage-name J-Hope, became the second member of the boy band to enter the mandatory military service on Tuesday (April 18). In December last year, Kim Seok-jin or Jin, the eldest of the group at 30, had become the first BTS member to enlist as an active duty soldier. Earlier in June 2022, BTS had announced that owing to upcoming conscriptions of band members, the group will go on a hiatus. The members will eventually reunite in 2025. Jin and J-Hope are only two of the personalities in the East Asian country who have had to put their successful professions on hold to fulfill their mandatory military service.

In South Korea, military service of 18 to 21 months is compulsory for physically fit men aged between 18 and 35, though there have been rare exemptions. So how did military service come to be mandatory in South Korea? When did it come into existence? We answer your every question.

Also Read:I will be back! BTS' J-Hope pens goodbye note before military enlistment, debuts his buzz cut look

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History of conscription in South Korea

After Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two occupation zones, with the northern part occupied by Soviet Union and the southern part occupied by the United States. The two world powers were unable to come to agreement on a joint trusteeship, and the two Koreas as they currently stand came into being: the Soviet-aligned Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the America-aligned FNirst Republic of Korea, with both claiming the full control of the peninsula. These are what we know today as North Korea and South Korea, respectively.

Conscription was enshrined in the South Korean constitution right from the beginning. Article 39 reads, "All citizens shall have the duty of national defence under the conditions as prescribed by Act." But it was only in 1957 that it became mandatory.

The duration of the service was initially set at 30 months but has since been reduced to between 18 and 21 months. Since its establishment, mandatory military service has been a constant and integral aspect of Korean society. It was partly borne out of the need to defend against North Korean aggression as the war between the two countries is technically still going on.

There have been several changes to the criteria for exemption or deferment from military service over the years. Sole breadwinners of their family or those with exceptional talents in certain areas, such as sports or music, may be exempted or have their service period shortened.

Mandatory military service is popularly considered a rite of passage for young men in South Korea and has played a crucial role in maintaining the country's national defence.

How does conscription work?

After turning 19 years old according to the Korean age system (read it up, it's rather interesting), all South Korean men are required to undergo a thorough medical examination to determine their eligibility for military service. The results of the exam can lead to three possible outcomes. If the individual is deemed healthy, they are required to serve in the armed forces. Those who are found not to be in good physical condition are considered unsuitable for military service and may instead perform civil service in public institutions. Finally, individuals who have physical or psychological conditions that prevent them from serving in any capacity may be exempted from service altogether.

Controversies and scandals

There are opponents of South Korean conscription. There have been exemptions, and not all of them have had to do with the person not being fit to serve. The exemption system was installed in 1973 by then-president Park Chung-hee, aimed at artists and athletes with considerable achievements. Son Heung-min, a South Korean footballer playing with Tottenham Hotspur, was exempted from the full service after the national team won the gold medal at the 2018's Asian Games, but still had to serve a shorter service.

It is also something of a taboo not to serve. If somebody is found to have evaded conscription, they are sometimes looked at with scorn and suspicion. Many companies require military service in the candidates' CVs when hiring.

Many also successfully end up evading conscription. Pop singer Yoo Seung-jun became a naturalised US citizen in 2002 just before his military service draft. South Korean government deemed this an act of desertion and subsequently deported him, banning him from returning to the country permanently. The ban was lifted later.

There was talk of BTS members being exempted too, with their fans saying that the group had made significant contributions to the promotion of the Korean culture. But the stars themselves expressed willingness to enlist, something that is expected in the country from upstanding citizens.

Conscientious objections and impact

Apart from the wider controversies in the practice of conscription, there are also many conscientious objectors to conscription, as they believe it has caused militarism to seep into the daily life of the country's people. And they have been successful in bringing the government down on its knees on the issue. Until recently, all able-bodied men were required to serve about two years in the military or face criminal penalties, including imprisonment. However, for those who objected to serving on ethical or religious grounds, there was no legal alternative. This meant that conscientious objectors had to either serve in the military against their beliefs or face punishment.

This practice came under scrutiny by human rights groups and international organisations, including the United Nations, which criticised the country for violating the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. In 2018, the South Korean Constitutional Court ruled that the government must introduce alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors by the end of 2019. The court stated that punishing conscientious objectors with imprisonment was unconstitutional and a violation of individual rights.

In response, the South Korean government passed a bill in 2019 allowing conscientious objectors to perform alternative service in non-military roles for 36 months. The government also began to review cases of conscientious objectors who had been imprisoned before the law was enacted, with many being released early.

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