Overview

• Active-duty ranks have fallen by one-fifth since 2019, leaving just 450,000 soldiers and officers in service.
• Defence Ministry figures show a total manpower shortfall of 50,000 personnel, including 21,000 non-commissioned officers.
• Government data indicate the cohort of 20-year-old males has declined by 30% to 230,000 potential conscripts over the past six years.
• The 2025 defence budget exceeds 61 trillion won—outpacing North Korea’s economy—yet has not stemmed the widening manpower gap.
• Recent research warns South Korea may need at least 500,000 active troops to counter North Korea’s estimated 1.2 million-strong force.