According to teh English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Reuters, South Korea’s Ministry of Defense has reported a 20 percent reduction in the size of its military over the past six years, primarily due to declining birth rates.
The report states that the sharp drop of about 450,000 personnel in South Korea’s armed forces stems from a drastic fall in fertility rates. The country’s total fertility rate-the average number of children born per woman aged 15 to 49-stood at only 0.75.
South Korea maintains mandatory military service becuase it technically remains at war with its northern neighbor.
A study conducted by Korean researchers in July found that South Korea requires at least 500,000 soldiers for adequate defense against a potential North Korean attack.In comparison,North Korea is estimated to have around 1.3 million active troops ready for combat.
The study highlighted that “the significant discrepancy in army size places south Korea at a structural disadvantage for self-defense.” It warned that “to maintain a minimum force of 500,000 troops, decisive nationwide measures must be implemented swiftly.”
According to the recent Ministry of Defense report, the number of military branches has dropped from 59 in 2006 to just 42 today due to unit disbandments or mergers.
In response to growing geopolitical tensions in the region, Seoul has increased its defense budget.For fiscal year 2025, South Korea’s defense spending will exceed ₩60 trillion (approximately $43 billion), surpassing north Korea’s entire GDP.
دیدگاهتان را بنویسید