Eighty-nine percent of those working in the fields of natural sciences or engineering oppose the Defense Ministry’s plan to abolish alternate service for the cited majors in lieu of mandatary military service, a survey showed Sunday.
According to the Biological Research Information Center, its survey on 3,999 researchers and engineers showed the majority oppose the military’s plan to gradually discontinue the special rule for conscripted scientists from 2020 to 2022. The phase-out is due to the country’s dwindling population, according to the officials.
Nine percent answered they supported the plan, while the other 2 percent were not sure.
Yonhap
All able-bodied South Koreans are required to serve in the military for 21 to 24 months, depending on the branch of service, as the country remains technically at war with North Korea.
But each year, around 28,000 people with special skills -- mainly majors in natural sciences and engineering -- are allowed to serve in alternative fields, which include working at research institutes. Other alternate service posts include assisting the police, Coast Guard, firefighters and work in other public sectors.
The survey by BRIC showed 92 percent of the respondents thought the conscripts benefited from the alternative service, with most of them in their 20s and are budding researchers.
One researcher pointed out that students of medicine, law and administration are able to utilize their expertise in the barracks, and that researchers should be allowed the same opportunity.
Another said research in science or engineering takes multiple years and inherently requires continuous work, and that it can be hindered greatly by spending two months as a soldier on the front line.
Of the respondents, 40 percent were undergraduates, followed by graduate students, faculty and professional researchers at 27 percent, 12 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
The ministry’s plan announced in May sparked fierce opposition from universities around the country.
The heads of nine universities, including Seoul National University and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, released a statement urging the government to scrap the plans.
By Yoon Min-sik (
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)