Students often ask me that “My favourite K-pop singer should join the national army soon… why?”

Yes. Unlike Australia or US, military service in South Korea is compulsory. Hence, all males in South Korea between the age of 18 and 35, physically and mentally able, to do their share in national defense for 2.3 to 3 years and no one can avoid this duty unless they are physically ill.

Moreover in some cases, South Korean men over the age of 18, including Koreans with foreign citizenship, were subject to compulsory military service. From a law that was effective since 2005, a dual citizen could not be allowed to abandon his Republic of Korea citizenship until he finished his military service, or had received a special exemption from military service.

In several cases, men of South Korean descent holding U.S. citizenship visiting from overseas had been drafted upon visiting the country, despite having never been there before and not having Korean citizenship.