Overview

• South Korea’s active-duty force has fallen to 450,000, down 20% from about 563,000 in 2019.
• Defence ministry data reveal a gap of 50,000 personnel needed for adequate readiness, including 21,000 non-commissioned officer vacancies.
• The pool of 20-year-old males eligible for conscription has declined by 30% since 2019 to around 230,000 due to a record-low fertility rate of 0.75.
• Conscription service has been reduced from 36 months to 18 months based on improved capabilities tied to the US alliance alongside a growing domestic arms industry.
• South Korea’s defence budget in 2025 tops 61 trillion won, now surpassing the estimated size of North Korea’s economy, underscoring long-term demographic pressures.