In this blog post, we will examine the reasons why engineering students postpone military service, the reality of alternative service, and the hidden value of the military.
For male students at South Korean universities, especially those in engineering departments, there is a question that arises immediately upon enrollment: when to enlist in the military, whether to enlist at all, or to fulfill their national defense obligations through alternative means. The reason this article is written specifically for male engineering students is that, compared to other departments, they have more options for alternative service, leading many to prefer avoiding military service.
South Korea is a divided nation. Since the war has not ended and the country remains in a state of ceasefire, expanding military capabilities is an unavoidable choice. Given the limited budget allocated to defense, South Korea cannot adopt a volunteer military system like the United States, which offers high salaries to soldiers. Instead, it maintains a conscription system, meaning that all men born in South Korea are legally obligated to fulfill their national defense duty. Many people dislike the military because they must spend approximately two years in the military or alternative service, regardless of their career aspirations. Additionally, some may avoid the military due to its long-standing abuses, such as physical and verbal abuse, while others may be deterred by the military’s isolation from society, which requires using limited leave periods to meet friends, partners, or family.
Many students are unable to decide on their career path due to vague fears about the military and end up wandering aimlessly. In South Korea, those who do not fulfill their national defense obligations are considered criminals and face various difficulties when traveling abroad, so companies do not hire those who have not completed their military service. As a result, students who have not completed their military service naturally enroll in graduate school, which leads to various problems. Since they entered graduate school without a clear purpose to avoid military service, they develop relatively less attachment to their field of study. Even when they find that graduate school does not suit them or face difficulties continuing their studies, they may reluctantly continue their studies out of fear of having to join the military if they drop out. Additionally, alternative military service appears relatively easy, and there are many options such as specialized research personnel or industrial functional personnel, making it an attractive way for students who dislike the military to postpone their national defense obligations.
However, is the military really a place to avoid at all costs? I believe it is not. In fact, it is a place where one gains far more than one loses. If there are students who are unsure whether to enlist immediately or postpone it due to a lack of clear goals, I would advise them to go ahead and serve. For those considering specialized research personnel as an alternative to military service, it may seem like only four weeks of military training is required, but the actual service period is 36 months. The reason this lengthy service period feels nonexistent is that the time spent pursuing a doctoral degree is counted as part of the service period. In other words, to serve as a specialized research personnel, one must obtain a doctoral degree. The number of engineering graduates who obtain a doctoral degree is very low, and few are eligible to apply for a doctoral program. Additionally, during the service period, they are not civilians and must work under the supervision of a superior, such as a professor, which often results in greater stress than that experienced by typical graduate students. Additionally, alternative military service through overseas volunteer programs like KOICA does not grant engineering students special preferential points, and while the service period is 30 months, the interview and waiting period until acceptance are very long, requiring an actual investment of 3–4 years.
The duty of national defense is, as the term suggests, an “obligation.” The Constitution of our country designates education, labor, taxation, and national defense as the basic obligations of citizens, with additional obligations such as the duty to exercise property rights in accordance with public welfare and the duty to preserve the environment. As such, national defense is an obligation that must be fulfilled simply by virtue of being a citizen. However, the problem lies in the fact that many people perceive military service not as an obligation but as a form of punishment due to a lack of awareness. Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” though cliché, encapsulates a very important attitude toward life. If there is no clear reason not to fulfill an obligation, it is better to do it immediately, as it is something that must be done eventually. Alternative service, on the other hand, often involves longer periods, stricter qualifications, and its own set of challenges, which can lead people who try to avoid military service to end up in even more difficult situations.
The military is often referred to as the oldest and most successful organization. It is said that an inefficient military has no reason to exist, but setting aside the validity of that argument, many organizations, especially most companies, have a corporate culture similar to that of the military. The military is the simplest form of organization, having been used for centuries. In companies where engineering graduates are likely to find employment, the proportion of male employees is high, leading to a natural hierarchical structure similar to that of the military. The military is the place where one can experience such a structure from the very bottom up. If we compare a private to an entry-level employee, a sergeant would be equivalent to a section chief. However, while it takes nearly 10 years to be promoted to section chief in the real world, in the military, one can be promoted from the lowest rank to the highest rank in less than two years, allowing one to experience the characteristics of each rank firsthand. Lower ranks have no responsibility but are tasked with numerous duties and receive orders, which can lead to a sense of relative deprivation. On the other hand, higher ranks may have relatively easier tasks but must issue orders, which entails taking on responsibility. These are characteristics of each rank, and such knowledge is difficult to understand without firsthand experience.
Another reason why people think joining the military is beneficial is that it teaches you how to manage yourself. After living a restricted life in high school with a tightly scheduled routine, many people enter college and become intoxicated by the freedom gained from the removal of restrictions on smoking and drinking, as well as the loss of their minor status, and end up unable to manage themselves, leading to an unhealthy lifestyle. Irregular meals, late bedtimes, and lack of exercise can lead to weight gain, poor health, and ultimately poor academic performance, making it difficult to adapt to school. I believe that the military is the most reasonable solution to these comprehensive problems. In the military, you must wake up and go to bed at set times. While smoking is permitted, drinking is not allowed, and soldiers are required to engage in regular exercise and maintain a regular diet. This is because maintaining soldiers in optimal physical condition is essential for maintaining military strength. In a student environment, self-discipline is often impossible to maintain due to homework, exams, and social gatherings, but in the military, such discipline is enforced. If one can make such strict management a habit and maintain it even after discharge, then the two years spent in the military will not have been wasted.
One of the most common misconceptions about the military is that enlisting means wasting two years of one’s life. While this may be true for some, it is not necessarily the case for everyone. The Ministry of National Defense is actively working to improve this negative perception, and if one is assigned to a unit that allows for ample free time, they can use that time to study or engage in physical activities. Each unit has its own legends about soldiers who passed the civil service exam during their service, but even if it’s not a major exam like the civil service exam, if you have a sincere attitude, you will have enough time to study for qualifications required by engineering departments. Additionally, there are more positions in the military than people realize, so you can gain diverse knowledge and cultivate your skills. For example, if you join the KATUSA program and pass the selection process, you can live with U.S. soldiers for two years and learn English. Similarly, if you become an interpreter, you can study English. If assigned to a prison or police academy, you can easily carve out personal study time. Additionally, among the less common roles, there are positions where you can apply your major directly. The Department of Construction and Environmental Engineering teaches remote sensing, a technology that is also useful in the military. Therefore, if you apply for a military branch related to this field, you can refine your expertise in your major. Additionally, if you join a selective group like KATUSA, you can meet people from diverse backgrounds that you would not encounter in everyday life, and build connections that can last even after discharge. South Korea has a small population and a society that values connections, so if you have a limited network, the military can be a great opportunity to expand it.
The final reason I argue that you should join the military is that leaving school to join the military is like a mandatory vacation. Most students who enter university have been struggling with exams and assignments for a long time. Especially in engineering departments, some subjects have four exams per semester, and many subjects require weekly assignments. However, when you join the military, this lifestyle completely changes, and you find yourself in a situation where you cannot study even if you want to. Of course, there are other challenges besides academics, but the military can provide an opportunity to seriously reflect on the meaning of your studies and why you want to continue them. In a situation where one constantly makes choices that determine one’s future path, the military offers a temporary escape to reflect on important decisions. Many students who have served in the military choose alternative career paths, such as civil service exams or medical school, and the possibility of discovering one’s true aptitude in a new field suggests that a brief pause to reflect is necessary for engineering students, rather than simply rushing through their studies.
