President Lee: "Infantry-Focused Military Impossible Due to Low Birth Rate... Selective Conscription Needed"

President Lee Presides Over Senior Secretary Meeting on the 13th
"Defense Reforms Must Be Implemented Swiftly and Thoroughly"
Calls for Prompt and Bold Improvements to Junior Officers' Treatment

On August 13, President Lee Jae-myung stated, "We must swiftly and thoroughly implement defense reforms to transform our military into an elite, advanced force centered on cutting-edge equipment and technology by introducing a selective conscription system."

Presiding over a Senior Presidential Secretary Meeting at the Yeomin Building of the Blue House that afternoon, President Lee remarked, "Due to the ongoing decline in the birth rate, maintaining our current inefficient, manpower-heavy, infantry-focused military structure is neither feasible nor desirable," thus emphasizing the necessity of reform.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Blue House on August 13, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

President Lee explained, "The battlefield environment of our military is rapidly changing, centering on artificial intelligence, drones, and robotic technology. In order to prepare for future warfare, where vast amounts of information are analyzed in real time and advanced weapons are deployed en masse, it is essential to restructure our defense systems to focus on technology and advanced equipment."

President Lee further highlighted, "What is most important in this (reform) process is redesigning the system so that the young people at the core of national defense can better plan their future lives." He added, "I hope policies will be established meticulously so that military service can serve as a foundation for stable employment, high-quality education, and asset formation for our troops."

He continued, "Ensuring that military service does not feel like a waste or loss in one's life is a major responsibility of our administration." President Lee further instructed, "I also ask that improvements to the treatment of junior officers be pursued promptly and boldly."

He stated, "Ultimately, national defense is also about people," and added, "When young people can feel fulfilled during their military service and when the military robustly supports their entry into society, that is when a truly strong armed force will be established." President Lee concluded by stating, "I ask that financial and institutional policies to support this be identified with utmost effort and implemented without delay."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.