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North Korea often provokes its southern neighbors with missile tests. But could South Korea fight back?
How strong is the South Korean army? “Very strong, well equipped and trained,” says Elisabeth Suh, Korea expert and researcher at the German Council on Foreign Relations – an independent think tank in Berlin. The relatively rich South Korea has invested a lot for decades. Accordingly, he could also invest a lot of money in defense and, above all, in the latest weapon systems. In addition, South Korea is a US ally and is therefore protected by the US nuclear deterrent.
Who is stronger, North or South Korea? North Korea has just over a million active military personnel, which an average of eight years of compulsory military service. The southern neighbor has less than half, around half a million active soldiers, and they only have to serve about two years. Furthermore, the country of the dictator Kim Jong-un possesses nuclear weapons. Although South Korea has fewer soldiers and no nuclear weapons, it is better equipped with both conventional and high-tech weapon systems. “I would describe South Korea as a stronger force,” says Suh.
How important is the South Korean military to the population? According to Suh, South Korea feels threatened by North Korea’s constant missile tests. That is why issues such as national defence, security and the military played a “major political and social role”. It is also part of the male image in South Korea.
What is criticized about the South Korean army? South Korea’s army is not considered exemplary in dealing with its conscripts. «For years, and even today, there have been many scandals. The conscripts are not treated well, have a stressful everyday life and there are social problems such as bullying. You also hear about isolated suicides,” says Suh. There are reforms, including under current President Yoon Suk-yeol, to improve the lives of conscripts. But there is still a lot to be done.
A world famous pop star was recently recruited. What awaits him in the South Korean military service? Kim Seok-jin, or just Jin, is a member of the world-famous boy band BTS and was drafted into the South Korean army on Tuesday. The 30-year-old superstar is in a barracks where he is doing basic training for five weeks, explains the Korea expert. He is stationed relatively close – about 20 kilometers – to the North Korean border. It is still unclear whether he will be sent to the border with North Korea. That will become clear after the basic training. Because then he will be placed in another place where he will stay for the remaining 18 to 21 months.
Legend:
Jin shows off his freshly shaved head on the K-pop social media platform Weverse. The photo was uploaded on December 11, ahead of his upcoming draft.
Weverse
“Basically, no South Korean man can avoid military service,” says Korea expert Suh. Of course there have always been exceptions in the past, including for well-known stars or politicians. But that is not accepted by the public. “There would have been an outcry if BTS were exempted from military service,” says Suh.
The world-famous boy band has seven members, all between 25 and 30 years old. They sing about typical youth issues such as guilt issues, self-discovery and growing up. BTS is the most successful Korean band of all time with 20 million albums sold.
The boy band was also the first Korean band to reach #1 on the US album chart. Nobody since the Beatles has released so many number one albums in such a short time. In addition, BTS has had a number one hit in the US singles chart five times in 10 months. They broke the record set by the “King of Pop” Michael Jackson in 1988.
What does Switzerland have to do with the South Korean army? South Korea has been formally at war with North Korea for over 70 years. Instead of a peace treaty, an armistice has been in force since 1953. To monitor this, Switzerland and Sweden are forming a neutral monitoring mission. Officers – five of them from Switzerland – are unarmed and on site as neutral observers. They keep an eye on military exercises and investigate when the ceasefire is violated.