How Different is Military Service, or National Service, in Singapore and South Korea?

Singapore and South Korea are two nations that require the mandatory enlistment of their male citizens into the military forces. Though the reasons for requiring compulsory conscription differ for each country, both countries rely heavily on their citizens’ contributions to the military forces to meet their manpower needs and maintain their military might.

Let’s take a glimpse into how Singapore’s and South Korea’s national service regimes differ from each other:

Allowance and Pay

The starting allowance for a Private Second Class soldier serving his national service in the South Korean Military was 459,100 KRW in 2021, which is roughly S$500. The amount gradually increases across the ranks to the highest pay of 608,500 KRW (S$670) for a Sergeant.

In Singapore, the starting allowance for Recruits and Privates in the Singapore Armed Forces is S$580. This amount can increase up to S$690 for those promoted to Corporal First Class. Specialists who graduate from the Specialist Cadet School can earn up to $1,070 while officers who graduate from the Officer Cadet School can earn up to $1,280. This excludes the additional vocational allowance given to cadets depending on their vocations, ranging from $50 to $400.

The cost of living is definitely lower in Korea than in Singapore, but all things considered, we would still say that Singapore’s soldiers have it better in terms of their allowance!

Working Hours for Military Personnel

The working hours for vocations in Singapore can vary depending on the nature of the job and its work scope. It can range from a 7-days-on, 7-days-off shift, or the more common 5-days-in and 2-days-out schedule, where soldiers get to return to their homes on Friday evenings before coming back to base on Sunday evenings to carry on with their duties. There is also a coveted stay-out vocation that many pine for due to its desirable 8am-5pm working hours, meaning soldiers can go back home every day.

However, in Korea, their soldiers are required to remain on base during weekends. Off days are granted periodically and are generally differentiated into three different types, each with varying restrictions.

The first is 외출 (oe-chul), where soldiers are allowed to spend a few hours outside their bases. You can liken this to a nights-out in Singapore. Soldiers will usually make prior arrangements to meet with their friends and family, but they are not allowed to go too far from the base as they can be called back at any time. It is common to find Korean soldiers eating or having drinks with their loved ones during this type of off-day.

The second type is 외박 (oe-bak). This category of off-day permits soldiers to spend nights outside of their base. You can usually find soldiers going for night parties or spending time with their friends. While they are allowed to remain outside overnight, there are still restrictions placed on their whereabouts. For instance, taking a bus or taxi out of town to head back home is not permitted as it is too far from the base.

The last type of off-days is known as 휴가 (hyu-ga). This type of leave usually has the longest duration ranging from a few days to 1-2 weeks. There are no location restrictions for soldiers on 휴가 and as such, soldiers usually return home to visit their families when it is granted to them. After being away from their families for so long, soldiers cherish the opportunity to spend time with those they care for the most.

Difference in Annual Leave During Service

In Korea, soldiers are entitled to annual leave during their service period. The number of days varies based on the total duration that they are required to serve. Generally, soldiers serving in the Army are given 24 days, those serving in the Navy are given 27 days and those serving in the Air Force are given 28 days. Soldiers are allowed to choose when to use their leave and can go on vacation during their period of leave, with prior approval granted by their superiors. If a soldier chooses not to consume his leave, it will be subtracted from his service period and he can complete his service earlier.

In Singapore, the leave process is much more rigid. All soldiers serving their national service are given 14 days of annual leave per calendar year regardless of their vocation. For a service period less than a calendar year, the leave will be pro-rated according to the length of service. Soldiers will either be allocated periods of block leave by their superiors, or they may be allowed to request to apply for leave during a period of their choice. This is directly administered by the service personnel’s superiors, and any leave that is unconsumed will be forfeited at the end of the calendar year.

Vocations for Military Personnel

Active duty personnel in Korea are required to serve varying lengths of military service depending on the branch of the military that they enlist into. Those in the Army or Marine Corps serve 18 months, those in the Navy serve 20 months and those in the Air Force serve 21 months. There are also non-active duty personnel who serve in various other positions in order to complete their military service obligations. For example, public service workers serve 21 months, while professionals such as doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, and expert researchers serve 36 months.

In Singapore, enlistees can serve in three main organizations: the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF), and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Within these organizations and branches, enlistees perform a diverse range of roles covering many different responsibilities. They are chosen for the job based on their security clearance, medical status, educational background, and many other factors.

While they have no direct influence over where they will be posted, enlistees are encouraged to indicate which vocation they are interested in. Unlike Korea, Singapore does not have different durations of service for different branches of the military. All enlistees are required to serve 24 months, with medically fit servicemen who obtain a certain grade in the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) getting an 8-week reduction to their national service duration.

Enlistment Age

In Singapore, those who are eligible for NS will be required to register when they are 16 ½ years old, and they will be enrolled into enlistment upon reaching 18 years of age. Deferment may be granted, but it is only for those who are pursuing their GCE ‘A’ Level or Polytechnic Diploma studies and is subject to them meeting the eligibility criteria.

In Korea, Korean males are required to serve once they turn 18, but they do not have to start their service immediately. Enlistment can be delayed until age 28, and the common practice is in fact for most Korean conscripts to complete their high school and begin a year or two years of university education first, before taking a break to complete their military service and subsequently returning to university.

Welfare for Military Personnel

In Singapore, soldiers are typically allowed to possess mobile phones, but their use of it may be restricted and is highly dependent on the type of job function they are assigned to. For example, roles that require dealing with classified information may prohibit the use of mobile phones. Military superiors may also impose certain restrictions on the use of mobile phones by soldiers, which are part and parcel of national service.

In Korea, the restrictions are slightly more stringent. The military originally banned the use of mobile phones due to concerns over security. However, after a successful year-long trial the use of mobile phones during specific hours was allowed from July 2020. The official hours for the use of mobile phones are 6pm to 10pm on weekdays and 7am to 10pm on weekends and holidays.

Exemptions from National Service

It is common knowledge that Singapore takes a very strict stance about ensuring that all of its male citizens complete their military service. Exemptions are not granted to anyone regardless of their social status, even excluding athletes and celebrities, one of the most prominent examples of this being national athlete Joseph Schooling. Our government offers a deferment to ‘exceptional servicemen’, but an exemption from national service altogether has not been reported, at least up until this point.

However, in Korea, exemptions or reduced terms of service can be granted to people such as Olympic medal winners, and prolific classical or folk music performers. The Korean government recognizes those who have contributed to its country’s progress in aspects outside of the military by granting these privileges to people who have excelled in their fields. Quite a number of people have been granted an exemption in Korea, including popular Korean footballer Son Heung-min, who received one after being part of the team that clinched gold in the 2018 Asian Games. In fact, as of late there is even talk of K-pop superstars BTS being granted exemption from military service!

Here are 9 Korean athletes, dancers, and musicians who have achieved great triumphs in their fields that qualified them for military exemption:

1. 2012 Summer Olympics Men’s Football Team

The 18-man team won the bronze medal in The London 2012 Summer Olympics and was granted an exemption from mandatory military service. Till this day, they are the only South Korean football team to get past the quarter-final stage and get a podium finish, a testament to their talent and the hard work they put in.

2. Lee Yong-Dae

Professional badminton player Lee Yong-Dae joined South Korea’s national badminton team in 2003 when he was only 15 years old. In the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, he teamed up with Lee Hyo-Jung in the mixed doubles to win gold and made history as the youngest gold medalists in Olympic badminton.

3. Shin Baek-Cheol

Shin Baek-Cheol is another badminton prodigy who started his journey in the sport at just 8 years old. He teamed up with Lee Yong-Dae to win the men’s doubles in the 2009 German Open. In the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, he partnered with Lee Hyo-Jung in the mixed doubles to win gold, earning his exemption with the same partner as Lee Yong-Dae.

4. Park Tae-Hwan

Korea’s swimming superstar Park Tae-Hwan could very well be considered one of Korea’s best athletes of all time. In the 2006 Doha Asian Games, he was named the Athlete of the Games after winning the most number of medals by a single athlete: three golds, one silver, and three bronze medals. He obtained Olympic success soon after in the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, where he won one gold and one silver medal, becoming the first and only Korean to win an Olympic medal in swimming thus far.

5. Chung Hyeon

Interestingly enough, Chung first entered the sport of tennis as a means of trying to improve his vision after he started to wear glasses at a young age. He eventually began to play tennis competitively, transitioning into men’s professional tennis in 2014. That same year, he participated in the 2014 South Korea Asian Games and placed first in the men’s doubles with his teammate Lim Yong-Kyu, winning himself a gold medal.

6. Son Heung-Min

You have probably heard of world-class footballer Son Heung-Min. He’s an international star well known for playing as a forward for the English football team Tottenham Hotspur. His prolific talent has seen him score 33 goals to date during his tenure with the South Korean National Team. Son led South Korea to a 2-1 victory in the 2018 Asian Games football final against Japan after an intense match in a battle for gold. He made both assists that led to the two goals in extra time, earning the entire South Korean squad exemption from military service.

7. Lee Jung-Hoo

Lee Jung-Hoo’s natural talent for baseball comes as no surprise. His father, Lee Jong-Beom was one of the best players in Korean baseball history, earning the nickname “Son of the Wind” (바람의 아들) for his speed. Lee Jung-Hoo achieved great success in the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) League, following in his father’s footsteps to win series MVP in 2019. In the 2018 Asian Games, when he was just 19 years old, he won the gold medal for South Korea as his father watched from the stands, cementing his name in the record books.

8. Yu Ho-Sik

Yu Ho-Sik is a renowned choreographer who is widely regarded as one of the biggest influences behind the new generation of dancers representing Asia. He earned his military service exemption by winning the National Newcomer Dance Competition in 2006. At that time, only two people each year were eligible for the exemption: the winners of the National Newcomer Dance Competition and the Dong-A Dance Competition. Since then, Yu has gone on to win many accolades on the international stage and even embarked on a two-year stint as resident choreographer for Odyssey Dance Theatre in Singapore.

9. Cho Seong-Jin

28-year-old pianist Cho Seong-Jin began his musical journey at the young age of six, giving his first public recital when he was just 11. In 2009, he was the youngest ever winner of the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, alluding to his bright future as a prolific pianist. He captured the attention of the classical music world in 2015 after being the first South Korean pianist to win the XVII International Chopin Piano Competition and was granted exemption from the military after this achievement. Cho has since been working with world-renowned orchestras and performed in concert halls across the globe. All of his albums have received critical acclaim worldwide, including his sixth and latest album titled “Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 · Scherzi”.

Regardless of which country they served in, soldiers not only in Korea and Singapore, but around the world, have made many sacrifices during the length of their service. They endure being away from their families for extended periods of time, to simple things such as not being able to enjoy their favourite foods, let’s recognise and appreciate the contributions of our national servicemen to keeping our countries safe!

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