Military expenditures in South Korea increase by 20% amid a birthrate crisis, exacerbating the country's security predicament.
In the face of a declining population and an aging society, South Korea's defense forces are turning to technological enhancements to maintain their capabilities amidst downsizing. The country's fertility rate of 0.75, the lowest globally, has resulted in a critically low birthrate, causing a significant reduction in the enlistment pool.
To counteract this demographic-driven shortage, South Korea is employing a multi-faceted approach. The Defense Innovation 4.0 plan prioritizes the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI), drones, unmanned systems, and autonomous technologies to compensate for shrinking troop numbers and enhance military capabilities without relying solely on human personnel.
In addition to technological innovation, South Korea is increasing recruitment diversity. The Defense Ministry is considering expanding the recruitment of female soldiers, as well as offering bonuses for short-term service and reducing noncombat supplementary duties for male conscripts to optimize personnel availability.
The government is also restructuring forces to make better use of available personnel, streamlining training programs, and strengthening rapid-response capacity to balance manpower shortage while maintaining readiness.
Shortening service durations has also been a strategy, with improved military capabilities and strong cooperation with the U.S. allowing for reductions from historically longer periods to currently about 18 months.
South Korea is also strengthening international alliances and interoperability, especially with the United States and Japan, to enhance defense capabilities through shared technology and coordination, mitigating some effects of reduced manpower.
However, experts note that there are limits to replacing personnel with technology, particularly facing a heavily armed adversary like North Korea. The shortfall in troops, particularly in non-commissioned officer ranks, poses ongoing operational challenges, such as patrolling the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
As the number of active-duty military personnel in South Korea drops from approximately 563,000 in 2019 to around 450,000 in 2025, representing a 20% decline, the challenge of maintaining deterrence capabilities may intensify in the years ahead without transformative policy and recruitment shifts. The strain on South Korea's defense readiness underscores the far-reaching implications of the nation's birthrate crisis, not just socially and economically, but strategically as well.
- South Korea's defense strategy involves not only technological advancements like AI and drones but also diversifying recruitment, particularly by considering the expansion of female soldiers and offering incentives to male conscripts.
- The country's educational and self-development sector might play a crucial role in preparing a larger number of individuals to join the military, given the importance of optimizing personnel availability to counteract the declining population and aging society.
- news-and-politics outlets could highlight the potential impacts of South Korea's demographic changes on its economy, society, and politics, emphasizing the need for comprehensive policies to address the issue while ensuring national security remains a priority.
