Page 124 - 2018 Defense White Paper

The MND will reduce the number of general off icers from 436 in late 2017 to 360 by 2022 in

accordance with the General Off icers Quota Readjustment Plan. This plan aims to reinforce
combat units while signif icantly expanding the scale of the reduction compared to that in
the previous readjustment plan. It is noteworthy that the MND formed a consensus on the

need to reduce the number of general off icers and reached an agreement through adequate
communication with each branch of the Armed Forces. Considering this, this plan is expected
to be the key driving force of the implementation of Defense Reform 2.0.

3. Shortening the Mandatory Service Period

| Implementing the Service Period Reduction Plan | Starting on October 1, 2018, the MND
shortened the service period of soldiers to develop the ROK Armed Forces into technology-
intensive, strong elite forces and help relieve the youth’s burden of mandatory military service.

The service period for the Army and Marine Corps will be cut down from 21 to 18 months, and
that for the Navy will be decreased from 24 to 22 months. The service period for the Air Force

will be shortened from 24 to 22 months, and the MND will seek to reduce it by one more month.
The service period will be gradually
(month)
40
shortened, one day per two weeks 36
33
30 30
of service, so that the service period 30 26
24
of each soldier does not vary greatly 21
20 18
depending on when they have enlisted.
10
In case of the Army, the reduction of
the service period started with those 0
1962 -1967 1968 -1976 1977-1983 1984 -1992 2021
who enlisted on January 3, 2017, and 1993 - 2003 2003 - 2010 2011 - 2017
were discharged on October 1, 2018.
Changes in the length of the military service period
The shortened period will reach the full (Army only)
three-month term with those who will
enlist on June 15, 2020, and will get discharged on December 14, 2021. The discharge date

for each enlistment date can be found with the discharge date calculator at the website of the
Military Manpower Administration.
The shortening of the service period is expected to help alleviate the burden of military service

122 Chapter 4 Building Elite Armed Forces Using Advanced Technology