Monday, August 18, 2025

South Korea Combat Readiness...Already in Doubt

South Korea's military faces a growing challenge: troop numbers have dropped from 690,000 in 2005 to just 450,000 in 2025.

A new defense ministry report warns the country needs 50,000 more soldiers for full combat readiness.

The sharp decline is driven by the world's lowest birthrate, as fewer young men reach conscription age.
Despite a defense budget larger than North Korea's economy, South Korea's military future is uncertain.

11 hours ago

Low birthrates make South Korea’s military shrink

Uploaded: Aug 18, 2025

Ralph Martin

South Korea has an increasingly urgent problem: Its military is shrinking because of low birthrates. A new report warns that the country is short of tens of thousands of troops, casting doubt on the country’s defense readiness.

Yahoo

South Korea military shrinks by 20% due to low birthrate

15 hours ago

AI Overview

Multiple sources express concern regarding the combat readiness of South Korea's military due to various factors:

Shrinking military due to low birth rates: South Korea's active-duty force has decreased significantly in recent years, falling to 450,000 troops as of July 2025 – a 20% reduction since 2019. This shrinking pool of eligible men, along with a drop in applications for career officers, raises questions about maintaining a sufficient level of trained personnel for defense readiness.
Reliance on U.S. capabilities, particularly intelligence: South Korea operates a limited number of military reconnaissance satellites and relies heavily on the US for intelligence gathering, according to 조선일보. Concerns exist about potential degradation of situational awareness if American surveillance systems are withdrawn or reassigned.
Challenges in personnel recruitment and retention: Declining interest in military careers, potentially linked to modest salaries, working conditions, and military culture, is impacting recruitment and retention of skilled personnel, according to Pacific Forum.

Concerns about potential impact of restoring military agreement: President Lee Jae Myung's stated intention to restore the 2018 military agreement with North Korea, which created buffer zones and limited military activities, raises concerns that if South Korea alone adheres to it, its defense readiness could be weakened. This is particularly worrisome given North Korea's continued hostility and abandonment of the agreement.

However, it's also important to note that:

Joint exercises with the U.S. aim to improve readiness: South Korea and the United States continue to conduct large-scale joint military exercises like the Ulchi Freedom Shield to enhance their combined defense posture and response capabilities, says DVIDS. These drills are designed to address evolving threats, including drone attacks, GPS jamming, and cyber assaults.
South Korea possesses a strong military and defense industry: South Korea maintains a formidable military and a strong defense industry, which is a major global arms exporter. Global Firepower ranked South Korea as the 5th strongest military in the world in 2025 based on conventional capabilities, according to The Korea Herald.