Korea's military embraces diversity

South Korea’s military, one of the world’s 10 largest, drafted 27,557 conscripts during the first two months of this year alone, primarily men born between 2004 and 2005. For able-bodied young men, military service is an inescapable reality here — both a national duty and a rite of passage, shaped by the enduring tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Last month, my son was one of many who stood in line at boot camp, surrounded by a sea of shaved heads and stoic faces. It was the day he officially entered South Korea’s mandatory, 18-month military service. The boot camp lasts five weeks.

Yet for him, the journey carried an added complexity. Born to a Taiwanese father and a Korean mother, he grew up straddling cultures — fluent in English, with only a basic grasp of Korean and some Mandarin, reflecting our blended heritage. Now a soldier in the Republic of Korea Army, his journey reflects the evolving face of a country finding strength in its growing diversity.

South Korea's military has been shrinking steadily, due largely to the country’s declining birthrate. By the end of 2022, the number of active personnel had dropped to 480,000, down from 690,000 in 2002, according to the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA). This trend highlights the nation’s demographic challenges.

But the number of soldiers from multicultural families serving in the South Korean military has seen a significant rise. Starting with just 51 soldiers in 2010, the figure jumped to 634 by 2016, marking a nearly 12-fold increase, according to KIDA.

The trend continued, with the number surpassing 1,000 in 2018. Projections suggest that around 4,400 multicultural soldiers will enlist by 2025, with the figure potentially reaching 10,000 by 2030. The proportion of multicultural soldiers within the active-duty force is also on the rise. In 2022, they made up about 1 percent of the military, but this is expected to grow to roughly 5 percent by 2030, according to KIDA.

But I was worried.

Would he be able to understand orders? Would the military even take notice of someone like him? My fears spiraled out of control.

My worries quickly faded when I saw that South Korea was adjusting its military conscription policies to accommodate its increasingly multicultural population.

Dual nationals must choose their citizenship by age 18. Those retaining Korean citizenship face mandatory military service, although some overseas Koreans may be exempt. The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) allows deferrals for permanent residents and overseas Koreans, but has tightened oversight to prevent draft evasion.

The recruit selection process is more nuanced than expected, focusing not just on physical fitness. The MMA now considers recruits' multicultural backgrounds, evaluating candidates through a computerized point system based on education, language skills, volunteer work and certifications. My son’s proficiency in multiple languages, a result of our multicultural upbringing, worked to his advantage, along with points earned for translating Korean children’s books into English. His history of arm surgery at age 5 was also factored in, automatically screening him from the most physically demanding roles. He chose, of his own volition, to specialize in nuclear, chemical and biological (NBC) warfare and was selected based on his points.

There are also language support programs, cultural sensitivity training for soldiers and efforts to ensure that everyone feels integrated and respected.

The MMA offers a one-week adjustment program for conscripts who have lived abroad, including classes on Korean culture. However, this program does not extend to recruits from multicultural families who grew up in Korea without spending significant time overseas. Those with overseas experience also receive extra points when applying for specialist roles and can delay their enlistment for up to a year to improve their Korean language skills.

My son calls home every weekend and he shared that the drill sergeants aren’t rigid or unforgiving. Instead, they are attentive and encourage conscripts like him to ask questions if they don’t fully understand any command or instruction.

“You do get reprimanded for not following orders, but you don’t get in trouble for asking questions,” my son told me.

It turns out that many recruits came from similar backgrounds, while others kindly help him understand instructions.

After the first week of a monthlong boot camp at the sprawling training facility in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, I received an unexpected phone call from the regimental commander. To my surprise, she wasn’t calling about any issues — she wanted to ask about my son’s multicultural background. Like any parent, I immediately wondered if he was having trouble, but she quickly reassured me that he was adjusting well. She said she was simply hoping to better understand recruits from diverse backgrounds.

My son's experience reflects this evolving landscape. He wasn't singled out for being different, but rather, his differences were seen as strengths. He was assessed on his merit, his dedication and his potential.

The next 18 months will be challenging, but I trust in his resilience. From what I’ve seen, the South Korean military is just as resilient. It’s clear the institution is evolving — becoming more aware of diversity and, in doing so, hopefully becoming stronger.

Samuel Len is politics and city desk editor at The Korea Times.