Korea launches military service support system for nationals abroad

Prospective conscripts undergo physical examinations at the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration in Dongjak District, Seoul, Jan. 13, 2025. Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki

The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) launched an interagency support network for overseas Koreans after finding that some citizens living abroad miss military service procedures simply because they are unfamiliar with Korea’s conscription system.

The move reflects a broader demographic shift. As the number of multicultural families in Korea has grown over the decades, so too has the population of children born to one Korean and one foreign parent who reside outside Korea. Many of these individuals retain their Korean nationality — and the legal obligation to fulfill military service that comes with it — but grow up with little exposure to Korea's conscription system or the procedures it entails.

The MMA formally launched the network on Tuesday with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Overseas Koreans Agency. The four agencies will work together to provide military service and nationality counseling, enlistment guidance and other support for Korean citizens living overseas, particularly those who have spent much of their lives abroad and may have little understanding of their potential obligations with the Korean military.

Military officials said a lack of information does not excuse someone from compulsory service.

“Military service obligations apply equally to all Korean citizens,” an MMA official said. “Living overseas does not change that. Anyone who fails to fulfill the obligation is subject to the same legal provisions.”

Military Manpower Administration (MMA) Commissioner Hong So-young, second from left, poses with officials after the launch ceremony for an interagency support council that would provide overseas Koreans with military service and enlistment guidance at the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of MMA

Under the Military Service Act, those who fail to report for military service without a valid reason may face up to three years in prison.

However, the MMA was unable to provide statistics on how many overseas Koreans had been penalized for missing military service obligations due to unfamiliarity with the conscription system, showcasing the difficulty of tracking a population that often falls through administrative gaps.

The program is intended to reach eligible citizens before they become subject to service requirements. The support network will work with Korean embassies, overseas missions and related organizations to identify eligible citizens in advance and provide information on military service and nationality issues before enlistment becomes necessary. It will also offer one-stop counseling, enlistment preparation programs and administrative assistance.

The program builds on a pilot project launched in Vietnam earlier this year.

The MMA said Vietnam was chosen because of its large population of Korean-Vietnamese families. Based on estimates by the Korean Embassy in Vietnam at the end of 2025, the country is home to about 8,000 Korean-Vietnamese families, including roughly 5,000 returned marriage migrants and about 2,000 children.

The agency said it plans to identify children who have reached military service age among those families and provide them with information and guidance before they begin the enlistment process. The broader goal is to expand the service through cooperation across government agencies after evaluating the pilot program.

As part of the Vietnam project, the MMA has held local information sessions, online briefings and pre-enlistment experience programs while introducing a voluntary advance registration system that allows eligible overseas Koreans to receive personalized guidance before becoming subject to military service procedures.

Hong So-young, commissioner of the MMA, said the program was intended to ensure overseas Koreans receive practical support throughout the entire process instead of having to navigate military service requirements on their own.

“We have established a cooperative support system so overseas Koreans do not have to deal with military service issues alone,” Hong said. “We hope it will provide practical assistance, from military and nationality counseling through enlistment.”

The MMA said it plans to expand the program to other countries after reviewing the results in Vietnam.