Mental disorders lead military service exemptions in Korea

Mental disorders, including depression, stand as the primary medical impediment preventing Korean men from fulfilling their mandatory military service, according to the Military Manpower Administration.

A medical checkup for military service in Suwon on Feb. 1, 2023. [YONHAP]

Mental disorders, including depression, stand as the primary medical impediment preventing Korean men from fulfilling their mandatory military service, according to the Military Manpower Administration.

The administration said that among the able-bodied men aged above 19 who underwent the health checkup required before their enlistment last year, a total of 10,600 men were diagnosed with a level of mental disorder that either placed them in the reserve category or exempted the service altogether.

Mental disorders were the No. 1 reason for military service exemption and reserve categorization for three consecutive years as of last year, said the administration.

Of the mental disorders, depression took up the highest proportion at 34.6 percent last year, which was a hike from 24.3 percent in 2019.

Military service is mandatory for all men in Korea aged between 19 and 35.

The medical examination places all examinees in a category of 1 to 7, with 4 and 5 meaning reserve, 6 exemption and 7 re-examination.

The number of men exempted from military service — placed in category 6 — due to mental illness wasn’t large in itself, coming in at 13 last year and 19 in 2022, according to the Military Manpower Administration.

The administration said that it has also been recently looking into the effects of game addictions on soldiers.

Starting in 2020, soldiers have been allowed to use smartphones within their units.

The medical checkups for military service will run through Dec. 6 this year.

The checkups will incorporate drug tests in the latter half of the year, according to the administration.

BY LEE YU-JUNG,ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]