40,000 Military Service Members to be Cut by 2008

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on Thursday, January 13, that it would cut the current military force of 690,000 military service members by 40,000 to maintain its force level at 650,000 members by 2008.

Kim Hong-shik, the director general for planning and coordination affairs at the MND, said, “Following the military force reduction plan pushed since 2003, some 600 units have been reorganized and 9,000 military service members have been cut. Through the military restructuring, integration, and reorganization of units with similar functions, and the expansion of outsourcing to transfer the military into an information and technology force, 40,000 service members, mostly soldiers, will be reduced by 2008.”

He added, “The current 22 percent rate of officers above staff sergeant rank will be increased to 28 percent by 2008, and the military force will be reorganized into a technology-intensive structure centering on officers.”

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com