South Korea’s defense forces shrink as male population declines

South Korea – (Special – Correspondent / Web Desk) – South Korea’s military has shrunk by 20% in the last six years, dropping to 450,000 troops. This decline is mainly because fewer young men are available for the mandatory military service due to the country’s very low birthrate, according to a recent report.

The sharp drop in the number of eligible men is also creating a shortage of officers. The defense ministry warns this could cause problems for military operations if the trend keeps going, the report said.

The report was shared with Choo Mi-ae, a member of South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party, whose office made the information public on Sunday.

Since the early 2000s, South Korea’s military size has steadily fallen. Back then, there were about 690,000 active soldiers. The decline sped up in the late 2010s, with 563,000 active-duty soldiers and officers recorded in 2019.

In comparison, North Korea is estimated to have about 1.2 million active soldiers, according to the South Korean defense ministry’s 2022 figures.

Between 2019 and 2025, the number of 20-year-old men fell by 30%, reaching around 230,000. Most men start their 18-month mandatory military service at this age, after passing physical exams.

The military has shortened the service period, thanks to stronger capabilities. This was possible through its alliance with the United States and growth in its defense industry, which now exports many weapons.

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Right after the Korean War ended in 1953, military service lasted 36 months for able-bodied men, much longer than today.

South Korea’s defense budget is over 61 trillion won ($43.9 billion) for 2025, which is bigger than North Korea’s entire estimated economy.

Despite this, the military still needs 50,000 more troops to keep full readiness, according to the defense ministry. About 21,000 of this shortage is in the non-commissioned officer ranks.

South Korea is one of the fastest aging countries in the world and has the lowest fertility rate at 0.75 in 2024. This number shows the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her life.

The country’s population peaked at 51.8 million in 2020 but is projected to shrink to just 36.2 million by 2072, according to government predictions.