South Korea's military shrinks 20% in six years amid declining male population
South Korea’s military has shrunk by 20% over the past six years, dropping to about 450,000 troops, largely due to a sharp decline in the population of males eligible for mandatory service, according to a report released Sunday. The country, which has the world’s lowest birthrate, is facing a shrinking pool of enlistment-age men, creating shortages in officer ranks and raising concerns about operational readiness if the trend continues, the defense ministry warned.
The report was submitted to lawmaker Choo Mi-ae of the ruling Democratic Party, whose office made it public. South Korea’s military has steadily decreased since the early 2000s, when troop numbers hovered around 690,000. The decline accelerated after 2019, when there were approximately 563,000 active soldiers and officers. The drop coincides with a 30% fall in the population of 20-year-old men—from about 330,000 in 2019 to 230,000 in 2025—the typical age for enlistment in the country’s 18-month mandatory service.
Despite a defense budget exceeding $43 billion in 2025, larger than North Korea’s entire economy, South Korea is currently about 50,000 troops short of what it considers adequate for defense readiness. The shortfall is most severe among non-commissioned officers, with a gap of roughly 21,000 personnel. South Korea has shortened military service from the 36 months required in 1953, thanks to enhanced capabilities supported by its alliance with the United States and a growing domestic defense industry.
Facing one of the world’s fastest-aging populations and a record low fertility rate of 0.75 children per woman in 2024, South Korea’s population, which peaked at 51.8 million in 2020, is projected to decline to 36.2 million by 2072, posing long-term challenges for both society and national security.
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