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| The Interesting Facts About Military Service in South Korea |
Seoul - Military service is a program required by the South Korean government for its citizens. This requirement targets men, and is not mandatory for women. What are some interesting facts about the military in South Korea? Here's the information.
1. It's been around for a long time
Military service in South Korea is mandatory for men aged 18 to 35. For women, this activity is not mandatory, but it is still allowed if they want to register. Various sources say that the government has made it mandatory for its citizens to carry out military service activities since 1957 and continues to this day. This South Korean military service is carried out to counter the military threat from the North Korean side.
2. Long and Strict Training Period
In total, the conscripts will serve for 18 months in remote areas. Before becoming a participant in military service, a person is required to shave his head in accordance with South Korean military regulations. Soldiers were also allowed to take pictures and send them to their families. The image or photo will later be used if the soldier died while doing military service.
When a person enlists in the military, all his personal belongings will be sent to his family to keep them safe. Meanwhile, soldiers will undergo the first 5 weeks of their training period to learn basic military. Examples are marching, use of weapons, and physical training. Soldiers also receive special speech training to be able to speak well when assigned to give speeches.
3. Many Famous Musicians and Actors Follow
Military service in South Korea is mandatory for men aged 18 to 35 years. With these provisions, it is certain that men from South Korea's famous musicians and actors are not spared from joining the military service. One of them is actor Park Go Bum who carried out his mandatory military service in August 2020 as one of the Navy (AL) soldiers. The members of the boy band Super Junior (Suju), such as Shindong, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, and Sungmin have also enlisted in 2015 and were discharged in 2017. This year, members of the most successful boyband in South Korea, BTS, will enlist in the military. The military enlistment was carried out by the eldest BTS member, Jin, but the latest information stated that his enlistment was postponed until the end of October 2022. The South Korean Ministry of Defense will give BTS permission to continue performing during the military.
4. There are only 4 holidays
After the soldiers have completed their first 100 days of military service, they are entitled to their first leave. This first leave is only given for 4 days. Most of the soldiers would return home to visit their families. The leave was given as a gift to soldiers. If you get a promotion, a soldier's leave can be increased to 10 days, including holidays during Chuseok or autumn nights.