SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back announced plans to maintain military force levels at 500,000 by combining 350,000 active-duty soldiers with 150,000 outsourced personnel, in a press briefing on the occasion of Army Forces Day on Wednesday.
In his first briefing since assuming his post, he said, "We aim to maintain 350,000 active combat troops by outsourcing non-combat roles to address the declining number of military personnel."
The plans appear similar to the approach of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), which outsources non-combat roles.
South Korea's military personnel have decreased to 480,000 last year after peaking at 690,000 in 2002, with projections of a further decline to 350,000 by 2040 due to low birthrates and shorter periods of mandatory military service.
After peaking at 690,000 in 2002, South Korea's military shrank to 480,000 last year, with numbers expected to further drop to 350,000 by 2040 due to low birthrates and shorter mandatory service periods.
To maintain combat readiness, Ahn intends to outsource logistics and transport roles while retaining 4,000 military specialists with technical skills to manage advanced weaponry, offering them attractive salaries.
Regarding the halt of military exercises at the inter-Korean border as part of the current administration's conciliatory gesture toward North Korea, Ahn rejected the idea, highlighting the need for bilateral dialogue instead of unilateral actions.
Ahn also clarified that the 2018 inter-Korean military pact is paused, not terminated, stressing the need to restore it to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and build trust between the two Koreas.
Dismissing concerns over a possible U.S. troop pullout, Ahn said, "There is no discussion about the USFK's withdrawal or reduction," adding that South Korea will continue to cooperate with the U.S. to ensure peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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