Korea eyes tech-focused noncommissioned officer track amid conscription reform push

President Lee Jae Myung meets Marine personnel during a visit to a Marine Corps unit on Yeonpyeong Island, Incheon, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps

Korea plans to introduce a noncommissioned officer track focused on advanced military technology as part of its push to reform the conscription-based military service system by augmenting voluntary enlistment, the defense ministry said Thursday.

The move comes as the Lee Jae Myung administration pushes for a "selective voluntary enlistment system" designed to attract more young people into military careers while maintaining mandatory military service for men.

The "tech-intensive" noncommissioned officers would specialize in areas such as manned-unmanned systems, cyber operations and artificial intelligence, and serve for four to five years unless they choose to pursue a longer-term military career, ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said in a press briefing.

"We plan to gradually expand the number of 'tech-intensive' noncommissioned officers in line with efforts to restructure the military with a focus on advanced science and technology," Chung said.

"While maintaining the conscription system, we are considering ways to broaden service options, which is the basic concept behind the selective voluntary enlistment," she added.

Those subject to mandatory military service in Korea currently have the option of serving as commissioned officers, noncommissioned officers or enlisted personnel. The government intends to expand those choices through reform measures, including introducing the tech-focused noncommissioned officer track.

Chung said the government is working on measures to help connect their high-tech military experience with civilian career opportunities after discharge.

Such reform efforts come as Korea faces a declining pool of active-duty recruits amid a demographic cliff.

The defense ministry is crafting a reform plan to increase the proportion of career service members to 63 percent by 2040 from the current 40 percent, while reducing the share of conscripts to 37 percent from 60 percent over the same period.

During a visit to a Marine Corps unit on an island off the west coast on Wednesday, President Lee reaffirmed the push for the selective voluntary enlistment to give young people more choices for military career.

"Individuals would be able to choose either to become career service members receiving adequate compensation, or to fulfill their mandatory conscription obligation," he said during the visit to Yeonpyeong Island.