THE IMPACTS OF MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE ON MENTAL HEALTH 1

The Impacts of Mandatory Military Service on Mental Health

AP Seminar

2023

Word Count: 2197

Mandatory Military Service in South Korea

Forced military service and hardships encountered during South Korean men’s time of

service have affected their mental health when they return to their every day lives. Korean men

are forced into mandatory military service against their own will and are subjected to many

ordeals and hardships during their time in the military. When they return from the military back

to normal society, they come back with forms of trauma, abusive behavior, and maladjustment to

society. In 2015, a research study published under the name of Claremont McKenna College

stated, “The values of loyalty and duty demonstrates the point that deployed soldiers must be

ready to kill…a different set of rules and norms and a degradation of values that individuals have

previously held” (Hyo, 2015). Ordinary people are thrown into the horrors and regime of the

military. Facing a harsh reality different from their lives before. They are now being exposed to a

point of possible trauma and trial in their lives as the men are inducted and made to stay in the

military. When South Korean soldiers return home, their responses to environments and reactions

are negatively impacted. Due to the mental harm, harsh environments and abuse endured during

the period of Korean mandatory service, effects can be shown as Korean men report high cases

of domestic abuse cases from the men that have been to the military/ Korea has not always had a

strong militia pride and force in fact. A study and analysis conducted by the Professor Emeritus

of Korean Language and Culture and International Affairs, Dr. Young-Key Kim-Renaud (2006)

et al. affiliated with the George Washington University found, “...20th-century Korea has seen a

dramatic militarization. Thirty-five years of militaristic Japanese colonial rule have been

followed by division, a devastating fratricidal war, and decades of military rule in both North and

South Korea.” Due to constant invasion, war, and tension between bordering countries, Korea

has had to keep their militia force constant. Whether the country's people enjoyed it or not, South
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Korea has almost always been at a point of tension and peril. For nearly a century, the nation’s

people have been accustomed to the practice of seeing and sending their community members,

family, and friends to the military to protect and serve their countries. Military service pertains to

the male population however, as after the end of the Korean War in 1950, South Korea has been

implementing mandatory military service for all of its eligible men. Stated by an article on the

debate of Korea's military service; published by the Australian National University, “For most,

mandatory military service includes five weeks of boot camp, and around two years of

mind-numbing battalion boredom, indoctrination, and short bouts of intense training”

(Robertson, J., 2018). Soldiers are forced to leave comfortable lives at home, and are entered into

the ongoing ceasefire between North and South Korea: a never ending war. They are forced into

grueling training as they aim to protect their country from any threat of invasion from the North.

Throughout their military training and other hardships endured during this period, we see trauma

being caused to the health of these soldiers. The article” In their own words” by Rahill (2016)

who is the Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, Tampa and other researchers,

stated, “Trauma may cause adverse physiological changes such as the release of stress hormones

that can actually weaken health and resilience…not limited to adverse, irreversible health or

social outcomes”(Rahill et. al., 2016). We can see how these hardships and outcomes of trauma

lead to increased negative outcomes for health, and in the case of South Korean men. Mental

health which connects with the resilience of the haitian people during the earthquake. After

experiencing and enduring the hardships and adversities that can happen in the Korean military,

the effects of this continued negative resilience is to be shown. An article about resilience and it’s

negative effects written by the Chief Talent Scientist at Manpower Group, co-founder of Deeper

Signals and Metaprofiling, and Professor of Business Psychology at University College London
THE IMPACTS OF MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE ON MENTAL HEALTH 4

and Columbia University stated “In sum, there is no doubt that resilience is a useful and highly

adaptive trait, especially in the face of traumatic events. However, when taken too far, it may

focus individuals on impossible

goals and make them unnecessarily tolerant of unpleasant or counterproductive circumstances”

(Chamorro-Premuzic & Lusk, 2017). This article thoroughly investigates the endurance and

resilience endured during periods of hardship. In the context of this argument, it would be the

resilience of the conscription of the South Korean military and the trauma endured during this

period of time. As Korean soldiers, after being exposed to harsh training and hardships during

their time of service, return home. It can be seen that their example of enduring and having

resilience in this case, is negative. Mandatory military service and the hardships endured during

this period significantly negatively affects the behaviors of Korean men.

Mandatory Military Service

Korean men are being forced into mandatory military service against their own will and

are subjected to many ordeals and hardships during their time in the military. Although most

Korean men go along with conscription in order to not receive backlash and punishment for their

actions. There are examples of cases in which Korean men attempt to refuse and “get out” of this

service. Recorded by the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan

area, The Washington Post (2018) stated, "...one man gained more than 60 pounds to avoid

conscription in 2016…Other South Koreans have gone so far as to purposely fracture bones,

undergo unnecessary surgery or remove their teeth, Yonhap reported” (TheWashingtonPost,

2018). Although this case isn’t a common one. It goes to show what it means that Korean men

will go to avoid going to the military. In an almost inhuman movement, these people are refusing

and aren't willing to join the military.. They are going to the extremes, even harming themselves
THE IMPACTS OF MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE ON MENTAL HEALTH 5

in the process. However, even in the military, Korean men are experiencing military “hazing,” or

bullying amongst their ranks. In an article published by Kim (2019) and other associate

professors at Yonsei University about the amount of military hazing occurring in the Korean

military stated, “ …30,517 soldiers were taken to the guardhouse for hazing from 2011 to 2014,

accounting for 49.6% of the total accused soldiers (n = 61,726). In other words, one out of every

two accused men in the military is a perpetrator of hazing” (Kim et. al., 2019). Korean men are

not just facing the ordeals and gruel training of the military. Since the military accepts virtually

everyone and leads to everyone having different power balances, these acts of hazing are often

very harsh and inhumane. Leading to a detriment of their mental health in their time of service.

During their time of service, another factor that can be detrimental to the soldiers health would

be the prevalence of sexual assault and violence committed against them. Dr. Hyekyung Kang

(2023) MSW Program Director at Seattle University stated “...if proper actions are not taken to

respond appropriately to sexual violence cases within the military, it might lead to various

socially negative consequences involving the deterioration of individual health and the quality of

life in terms of personal aspects…”(Kang, 2023) Soldiers and regular men who had a normal life

before the military now enter an environment where they can no longer feel safe and have to

endure and gain resilience through these hardships. Due to the behavior of the country in forcing

the male citizens. These causes: forced training and environment, hazing, and assault, allowing

for the decay of mental health between the South Korean men.

The Effects of Hardships

Korean men are facing the repercussions of this service as the effects are shown into how

the men react and behave differently when they return. Korean soldiers may be found with
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negative effects on their mental health. A associate with the Institute of Military Health

Management and Second Military Medical University, Chen Xue (2015) and researchers stated,

“the relatively larger estimated effect size of predictors were adverse peri-deployment events

(e.g., discharged a weapon, saw someone wounded/killed), trauma severity, and adverse life

events.in predicting PTSD” (Xue et. al, 2015). Showing how the prevalence and factors of

sexual assault, bullying and forced conditions of laboring for their country has led to PTSD and a

increase in trauma between the men of the country. An article by Premuzic and Lusk in 2017,

called the Dark Side of Resilience stated, “In sum, there is no doubt that resilience is a useful and

highly adaptive trait, especially in the face of traumatic events. However, when taken too far, it

may focus individuals on impossible goals and make them unnecessarily tolerant of unpleasant

or counterproductive circumstances”(Chamorro-Premuzic & Lusk, D., 2017) When this type of

resilience is endured in the military, the counter-resilience and negative effects produced are

helpful during the environment of the military, however, it doesn’t translate very well to the

application of everyday life. PTSD harms the physical capability of the body as well. Stated by a

associate from the Clinical Health Psychology Service, Don Mcgeary (2011) and other

researchers, “(Post-traumatic psychosocial illnesses may explain why some trauma patients

report poor outcomes, even when traditional ‘‘objective’’ variables (such as wound healing or

limb function) would lead a clinician to expect good results'' (McGeary., et. al, 2011). Korean

soldiers will not only receive anguish to their mental health, but their physical capability and

being as well as mental health When Korean men return home, used to enduring the adversities

throughout, studies have been shown that there is a steady increase in the slope of domestic

abuse cases especially in South Korea in the comparison of East Asia. In a study done by

Lynnmarie Sardinha PHD and associate with UNICEF and researchers found, that in 2018,
THE IMPACTS OF MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE ON MENTAL HEALTH 7

Regional prevalence estimates of lifetime and past year physical or sexual, or both, intimate

partner violence among ever-married or ever-partnered women aged 15–49 years, by Global

Burden of Disease region, in 2018 was 19%(Sardinha et. al, 2022) As compared to the 46% of

women in South Korea who have experienced IPV, however, we see that South Korea is a large

outlier in the world of domestic abuse. Due to the trauma and PTSD received from the horrors of

the Korean military, the mental health of the Korean men are negatively affected.

Counterclaim

However, some critics may argue. That is due to South Korea’s strict society and

prevalence of mental health diseases such as depression and anxiety. These mental health issues

have already existed rooted in the soldiers before they even started their conscription. Since the

South Korean military conscripts each of its available men, there may be an existing prevalence

of men with problems in their mental health. Since every man has to go into the military, there is

a guarantee of some that have already had frayed mental illnesses before. Kyoung-Ho Han

(2013), a Korean MD, in the medical department of the South Korean army and other researchers

stated,“Recently, an increasing number of Korean male conscripts have been retiring because of

military maladjustment despite the presence of qualifying medical and psychological screening

tests in the Korean army. These problems suggest the presence of a common personality

problem.” (Han, K. H., et. al, 2013). This suggests that even before the adolescent men were

even in the military, their original personality and mindsets may have already been altered by

society’s effect.However, it must be noted that the events of trauma during conscription must not

be overlooked. The events of Sexual assault and military hazing are condensed and extremified

in the military, which basically means that the soldiers there are experiencing things that would
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never happen to them in normal society’s standards. As this is specific to the environment of the

South Korean military. Since the cases of sexual assault, military hazing, and ignorance from the

public is so condensed and concentrated in the military enviroment, the events and trauma

endured is proven to be more serve than in society’s everyday terms.

The Development and Barrier to Mental Health

Forced mandatory military service is a barrier to the development of mental health to

South Korean men and through this grueling environment and training that is being detrimental

to their mental health. This is all due to the condensation of men in an environment where there

is a prevalence of biased power ranks and in an environment where they are not getting

reimbursed for their actions. In the end, while there may be an existing prevalence of mental

health diseases and issues, participation and time spent in the South Korean military is harmful to

mental health. But, it must be noted however, that South Korea is most likely not to do anything

about the prevalence of mental health issues in its military because the military conscription

cannot stop due to South Korea's smaller land size and population due to other countries. As well

as the prevalence of the ongoing war between North and South Korea and their need for nonstop

soldiers for national security.

References

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