Background

Any man from age 18-31 that filled out a census in South Korea is forced to join the military since they filled out a census they are considered a citizen. Its not just men that are involved though. They're whole family is. Some want them to join the military and others don't. Most of them do not. Plus these men are starting their own families as they are scared of entering war and stuff like that.

Location

This issue is happening all over South Korea, but since it started, countries like Mexico and Lebanon have picked up conscription also. People try to flee South Korea, but trying to got to North Korea wouldn't help anything. South Korea is quickly urbanizing and men have the need to work in offices when they finish with education, and even though you have to fulfill a 24 month service before you turn 31, it still takes about 4 years to do it. But these men don't really have a choice.

Development

The South Korean military was established in 1948. They only started mandatory military or conscription in 2004, when they realized that had a very low amount of soldiers due to the uprise of need for jobs. They made it mandatory and ever since it has been a major problem in soceity. The rule has changed since 2004. When conscription first started as soon as a man turned 18 they had to enlist and be fully trained by the time they were 20. But now it is any man over 18 and they can enlist whenever as long as they have served for 24 months before they turn 31. That's a big deal.

• 2004- Conscription started
• February 2008- changed rule to anytime before 31
• 2009- started talks about changing from 24 month term to 18 month term, although not in place yet

Impact

There are not just bad consequences for mandatory military in South Korea. Men are forced to do it yes, but when they do it, it raises a sense of patriotism within the country. But on the bad side, men want to do normal jobs as South Korea gets more urban it requires more jobs and of course the can't do it if they are training for the military. The enviornment is not affecting this topic whatsoever but on people of course. Kids are scared there. They don't want to be in the military when they're 18 and either do their parents.

1. Shrinking Term for the Mandatory Military
2. Letting the men have jobs before they enlist
3. Eventually let women join so they are not discriminated

Future

In 2004 when Mandatory Military was established in South Korea, a man over 18 years of age had to serve a 24 month service when they were asked to. The government of South Korea is now in the midst of shortening this term to 18 months to increase its country's labor pool because the country's population is drastically shrinking. Well many men and women have left the country to start a family some place else partially because of this problem. They do not want the next generation of boys to have to go to the military at such a young age, when the world is getting more and more demanding jobs and labor.

Link to hopefully changing military term:
http://www.wri-irg.org/node/7312

Big Picture

This case that I am studying in South Korea has much to do with human geography but not really with physical or enviornmental issues. South Korea has only had mandatory military service in the country since 2004 becuase of tensions with North Korea. This influenced countries like Lebanon, Malaysia, and Mexico to demand military service for men ages 18 and over. It hurts us in America too. If we have young male students in South Korea, they have to enlist too. According to the South Korean Census register, a citizen is anyone who fills out a census.