Korea's Ministry of Defense has reduced the length of mandatory military service.
The reduction of service length will be 3 months for each military branch. The Army and Maine Corps' service length will be reduced from 21 to 18 months and the Navy's service length will be reduced from 23 to 20 months. Social workers' service length will be reduced from 24 months to 21 months, and industrial function workers' service length will be reduced from 26 months to 23 months. However, the Air Force will receive only two months of service reduction because it had already received a month of service reduction in 2004. Thus, the Air Force's service length will be shortened two months from 24 months to 22 months.
Soldiers who have been active in duty since January 3rd, 2017 will be able to receive this benefit. In addition, those who are active in duty right now will also receive the service reduction.
Shortening the service length will inevitably help alleviate the burden that the military service could have on young people, especially students. The Ministry of Defense believes that speeding up the service length for young people will help them better contribute to the nation's economy and human resources.
For K-pop and K-drama fans, that means some of your favorite idols/actors will now be discharged a month to three months earlier than their regularly scheduled discharged date.
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