Military Enlistment in South Korea

          As a fan of Yoo Seung Ho, a charming actor of South Korea who debuted at the age of 8 (Korean age), I miss him so terribly as he is serving the country in the military. South Korea mandates all men age 20 (international age: 18) and up to enlist in the military to do service for 2 years.

          When I was just a little child, the idea of military enlistment frightened me. I had recently watched a Korean movie or something involving a woman volunteer and so that gave me the idea that I also had to enlist in the military when I grow up. But then my young-self was relieved when I was told that it was only the boys that were required to enlist and that I'm not born in Korea so even if I was a boy, it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

          But then my brother said that Korean-Americans are counted as dual citizens, so this means that he, as a Korean-American, needs to go serve in the Korean military sometime after he reaches the age of 20 (Korean age). I'm still skeptical about the authenticity of this, so whoever is not lazy like me, please look this up and let your fellow Korean friend know. :D

          I asked my dad a few months ago if the Korean government would continue to mandate military enlistment for males after the two Koreas - North and South - are unified. Because, you know, the big reason military service is required is to train its male citizens in case a full-out war starts up again between North Korea and South Korea. I asked this because, I thought about it, and military enlistment for males have been going on for so long that it's now a Korean tradition for all Korean boys growing up and really, this was all started because of a cease-fire between the two Koreas. So I became a bit sad at the thought that the doom of military enlistment wouldn't have to be hung over the heads of Korean boys if the North and South just unified.

           However, my dad answered that military enlistment would probably be still required because the Korean peninsula is attached to China, so Korea would want to keep their guard up. I find this unfortunate - the U.S.A. has Canada to its north and Mexico to its south but military enlistment isn't required here. (Well, my so knowledgeable brother informed me that there is a yearly military draft in the States too and it's random but I suspect the legitimacy of this too).

          Regarding mandatory military service in Korea, there's more I want to touch base on but that is to be continued on a later post...


(458)