Hello everyone, nice to meet you. Today, the topic of our discussion is The Real Reasons Behind the Collapse of the South Korean Military That Are Never Mentioned in the News. The date of this recording is October 2nd at 4:42 PM. Tomorrow is National Foundation Day, and yesterday was Armed Forces Day. In light of Armed Forces Day, SBS News has reported on the current state of the military, which is in disarray. I apologize, I had a bit too much to drink yesterday, and my throat is a bit sore. 

What has been circulating in the community is that the pyramid structure has collapsed due to the salaries of sergeants and non-commissioned officers. When I see things like this, I often think that the media in South Korea is really rotten to the core. And well, I also...

I don't really want to talk about this, but the truth is that it all comes down to money. This issue is very complex, and the low birth rate is the same. It's not just about blaming the current administration or the media; there has been a lot of collaboration among various groups. This includes the government, the media, and many women, as well as the older generation, often referred to as the 586 generation. All of these factors have come together to create this situation. This is no longer just a problem; it is the result of various influences. The military situation is similar; it is currently undergoing significant changes. However, approaching this solely from a monetary perspective doesn't make sense. It can be considered one of the factors, but looking at it this way seems absurd, which is why I ended up making this video. In this context, it is stated that there isn't much difference in salaries, especially for conscripts.

By 2025, the base salary is said to be 1.5 million won, while the allowance for soldiers is 1.93 million won. Looking at the increase, the salary for privates has risen by 20%, but the allowance has only increased by 3%. This is causing a decline in enlistment; it’s said that there are fewer non-commissioned officers than sergeants. A complete reversal has occurred. As a result, former mid-level officers are speaking out, suggesting that the military conditions must have been significantly poor. However, they are not easily willing to give out compensation. Why should they? With such a small difference in money, there’s no reason to work harder. In my view, this person is definitely not someone who will work diligently, even if more money is offered. Since there is no improvement in treatment or development, it seems that the smarter individuals are opting to leave, which is quite unfortunate. These days, the military situation is like this.

It seems like I’m becoming more aware of my situation. However, isn’t it true that the smarter people are, the less likely they are to want to stay in the military? That’s what I think. Currently, the competition rate for non-commissioned officers is 4.9, which has dropped from 1.8 between 2019 and 2023. They say that the situation for special operations is even more severe, going from 8.3 to 2.6. As of June 2024, the operational personnel for sergeants is maintaining 72% of the required quota. Ultimately, when we look at June of this year, we see that there are more sergeants than staff sergeants. Regarding this, Junseok mentioned that when improving the treatment of soldiers, it should have included discussions on improving the treatment of lower-ranking personnel as well, but that didn’t happen. Therefore, this year, they are raising the short-term service allowance by 2.5 million won, bringing it to 10 million won, and freezing it for next year. However, this is...

In fact, there are many significant issues within the military. The current state of the South Korean military is concerning, yet no one talks about the fundamental aspects. One of the reasons for this silence is that discussing these issues often leads to accusations of discrimination or hatred. If you look at the writings on this topic, it is clear that the unmilitary personnel are involved in politics, but what can we expect from them? This is also a problem. There are unmilitary individuals in politics, and there are still very few politicians who do not understand what the issues are. However, politicians are actually smart; they know the problems but choose to pretend they don’t. They say that the system needs to be improved. It is also quite surprising that there are soldiers in a country that is still technically at war. This raises many questions about how this situation is possible. All these thoughts have been expressed, and it is evident that even if money is provided, the number of people willing to serve as officers will continue to decline.

There are discussions about the fact that for 24-hour duty, you only get 20,000 won, and you have to pay for your meals. A sergeant in the Philippines earns 2.38 million won. Is this really a country? Ultimately, the situation is worse than working part-time at a convenience store. Who would want to be a sergeant? Such conversations are emerging. But it's interesting because being a sergeant is quite significant. When I was in the military, many people lined up to become sergeants. The competition was intense, and I wonder what has changed since then. Back then, being a soldier was popular because it was considered a public service job; once you got a long-term position, you were set. However, getting that long-term position was difficult, and they were all struggling among themselves. I even saw people during that time who were serving in the military while trying to secure their long-term positions.

I saw people who returned after leaving, so when they come back, they are given their previous rank. Even if their rank is low, like a private, they still get credit for their past service. This applies when transitioning from the Navy to the Navy, but if someone is coming from the Army to the Navy, they don't receive the same consideration. Instead, there is some acknowledgment based on their time served, but there was a culture around this. However, it's not just about the simple aspects; there are significant issues regarding the treatment of soldiers. Overall, the military has had a poor reputation, and that perception has persisted. I've always questioned where the conservative party in South Korea stands. Does it make sense that if there is a conservative party, they would neglect the treatment of soldiers? Back in the day, during the Korean War, when bodies were brought back, people would salute, and isn't that still the case? What is the American slogan? The homeland does not forget you. But hey...

Let's take a look at how the veterans of the Republic of Korea are living. If you see that, you'll just think, If I don't want to go to the military, then I shouldn't have to. But right now, you can't avoid it; everyone is being drafted. And if you look at the data from public enterprises, when comparing the mental health of veterans versus regular soldiers, the statistics show that the rate of PTSD among veterans is higher. Public enterprises are teaching this. And honestly, that military preferential treatment system isn't a big deal anymore. They've eliminated a lot of those benefits for soldiers. In a country where respect for the military is almost nonexistent, the military itself is still a very closed-off group. All of these aspects need to change, but what really is going to change? Ultimately, this is...

In my view, the current standards for all workplaces in South Korea can be replaced by the delivery workers from Baemin. If I have to choose between that job and being a Baemin rider, I think being a Baemin rider would be better. So, everyone is leaving their jobs. The same goes for shipyards, and even soldiers are looking at it like, If I have to do this, being a Baemin rider seems better. That's why they are leaving. There is no respect, no acknowledgment. Of course, the issue of money is also frustrating. I think it was a good decision to raise the soldiers' salaries. Among the things the Moon Jae-in administration did, I believe raising the salaries of conscripted soldiers was the best decision. But the problem is that when they do raise it, people complain about why it was raised so quickly. They always ask why the increases are so abrupt. In economics, money and other factors can increase gradually. We don't know how this will unfold, especially when we look at Japan.

I learned something through this. No matter what it is, whether it's about money directly exchanging hands or not, this is a matter of life and death for real people. They just go about doing things their own way without any consideration, and all of these issues are problematic. These are all serious problems. But let me tell you something even scarier. You know what's truly frightening? The problem is that they say there are no soldiers. But do you know what's happening to the soldiers? As of 2021, 81.5% of non-commissioned officers are female. This is really messed up. Now, it seems like things are improving compared to the past. I actually believe that being a soldier is currently seen as a lower-tier public service job, just like I said about civil servants. I feel the same way about soldiers now.

I'm seeing this as a low point. Later, as I mentioned, you all feel that this will eventually be okay. This is because the power of civil servants becomes incredibly strong in a situation where employment is unstable. So, when both the stock market and the bond market are down, people usually turn to gold. That's generally the feeling. I see this as a low point for civil servants, but the problem is that the South Korean military is really in a dire state. In my view, it’s pretty much a disaster. We need to recruit soldiers, but given the current situation, many men are now hesitant to enlist. And as I say, I can feel your patriotism, but it's such a waste. This country is extravagant, and in such a nation, you are being asked to show loyalty. I find that unacceptable.

I just talked about it during my live broadcast yesterday. I asked Urban, What will you do if the US troops in Korea pull out? I said, I'm leaving the country immediately with my buddy. I really mentioned that. Ultimately, these things do not happen overnight. Absolutely, everyone, these things do not happen overnight. Events like that do not occur suddenly. This is not something that could happen in a divided nation; it hasn’t happened in just one or two years. If you compare it to 2006, people gathered a lot back then. At that time, the treatment of soldiers was not as it is now. Sure, there were issues, but the treatment and perception were different. Now, look at how the media and people around you treat soldiers. Who would want to be in that position? They just focus on salaries and it’s really sad to see how obsessed they are with money.

There is a thought that it feels very much like South Korea. Anyway, everyone, South Korea has collapsed. You have already collapsed. So, regardless of what you do, I hope that you, as much as those of you watching this video, prepare well. When the last train departs, and you think, Ah, it's time to go, let's leave quickly, alright? I hope that among all of you watching this video, there will be those who can later say, Thanks to Urban, I was able to board the Ark I created. And as I always say, this is truly a country that, the more you look at it, the more disillusioned you become. I don't think this is just my opinion. So, that's it for today. Have a good day, and tomorrow, October 3rd.

On my day off, I wonder if there are many companies that take a break. I think I should have a drink in the evening. With that said, I hope everyone enjoys their pleasant holiday. Thank you.

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