Lee Jae Myung: "smart, elite and powerful military"

At a meeting with senior aides in Seoul on Thursday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for reworking the military draft so the country can build a more technology-driven force. He argued that with the youth population shrinking, keeping an army centered on large numbers of infantry is no longer viable. Lee endorsed an optional system under which young men could either serve the standard conscription period or commit to several extra years in technical non-commissioned officer jobs, compensated with better salaries. He also asked officials to make service helpful for veterans’ careers, education, and savings, and to improve conditions for junior officers. The proposal, first made during his presidential campaign, aims to keep universal service viable despite demographic decline, because Lee said national security fundamentally depends on the people.