Question

why do Koreans need to serve mandatory military service?​

Answer 1

Explanation:

Conscription in South Korea has existed since 1957 and requires male citizens between the ages of 18 and 28 to perform compulsory military service. Women are not required to perform military service, but they may voluntarily enlist.

Answer 2

Explanation:

Debating South

Korea’s mandatory

military service

JEFFREY ROBERTSON

An exemption from military service

for a football star has brought global

attention to a simmering social issue.

South Korean marines march in April (Photo: Jung Yeon-je via Getty)

South Korean marines march in April (Photo: Jung Yeon-je via Getty)

Published 7 Sep 2018 12:00   0 Comments   South Korea   Follow @Junotane

By now, most people in South Korea know the national team’s victory over Japan in the Asian Games football tournament secured not just the gold medal, but also an exemption from military service for Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min. The win also brought global attention to a simmering social and political issue in South Korea.

All male South Koreans aged 18 to 35 undertake mandatory military service. Most start in their early 20s, disrupting tertiary education or postponing career entry. For most, mandatory military service includes five weeks of boot camp, and around two years of mind-numbing battalion boredom, indoctrination, and short bouts of intense training. Understandably, few want to do military service.