Korea, North

There are often rumours of conscription in times of political tension, or when right-wing spokespeople raise fears of the 'indiscipline of youth'. Such rumours often circulate without impact, but sometimes they are the start of a wider campaign and eventual reintroduction of compulsory military service.

The easiness of traveling within the Globalized North for its citizens only equals the difficulty for someone to access this part of the world.

North Korean women aged 17 and over will face seven years’ military conscription, starting in January. According to revised military service laws to be announced soon, military service for males will be increased from 10 years to 11 years. The state originally considered increasing the period to 13 years but, taking into account the measure’s overall failure in the mid-1990s, decided instead to conscript women. The North is struggling to keep up the numbers in its military forces, which have totalled more than 1.2 million. A shortage of males born in the mid-1990s reflects the nationwide famine during which about 330,000 children died.

Source: Korea Times US

WRI interviewed Jungmin Choi of World Without War in South Korea about the latest escalation between North and South Korea. Jungmin said that they were expecting a new escalation in the conflict following the change of leadership both in South and in North Korea, as they would both be trying to demonstrate their strength within their countries. Jungmin told us that life carries on as usual in South Korea, and that World Without War continue their work supporting conscientious objection to military service.

Lee Gil-jun

10/03/1998

(Democratic People's Republic of Korea)

1 Conscription

conscription exists

Conscription is enshrined in art. 86 of the 1992 Constitution, which states: "National defense is a supreme duty and honour for citizens. Citizens must defend the fatherland and serve in the military as stipulated by law." According to art.