Borasaek Vision
REAL TALK:
Enlistment
Written by: Shelley & LP | Edited by : Clare | Checked by: Vera| Design by: Connie
Male citizens of the Republic of Korea, according to the Constitution and this law, ought to perform the duty of military service with sincerity, and females can volunteer for military service. (Article 3:1, Military Service Law of the Republic of Korea; English Translation by Seungsook Moon, 2006)
A Fact of Korean Life As difficult as it may be for international ARMYs to understand, military service is a fact of life for all able-bodied Korean men aged 18 years and over and has been since it was implemented in 1957 under the Military Service Law. According to this law, military service is a requirement for the nation’s male citizens no matter where they reside in the world, unless they are deemed “physically or socially undesirable
17 | Real Talk: Enlistment
for military service.” In the case of dual citizenship holders, they have to have revoked their Korean citizenship prior to their 18th birthday. This differs significantly for women, who, under the terms of South Korea’s Constitution, are not obliged to serve. As outlined in Article 3 of the Republic of Korea’s Military Service Act, “a feminine gender may perform only active service or reserve service through volunteering.” Photo Courtesy: iStock
