Record 2,500 officers, NCOs seek early discharge due burnout
More than 2,500 military officers and noncommissioned officers (NCOs) applied for early retirement last year ? the highest number on record ? as interest in the military’s early honorable discharge program continues to grow.
According to data submitted by the Ministry of National Defense to the National Assembly and disclosed Sunday, a total of 2,502 service members applied for early retirement in 2024, including 782 commissioned officers and 1,720 NCOs. That figure is nearly double the ministry’s projected number of 1,363, used for estimating retirement benefit payments.
Following a review process, 1,936 people ? 720 officers and 1,216 NCOs ? were approved for discharge, while 566 applicants were rejected.
The early honorable discharge program allows military personnel with more than 20 years of service to voluntarily retire before reaching mandatory retirement age. Depending on the number of years remaining before that age, recipients are entitled to additional severance pay. The government paid 136 billion won ($98 million) in early retirement allowances last year.
Over the past five years, applications have steadily increased: 1,176 in 2020, 1,241 in 2021, 1,743 in 2022, 2,364 in 2023 and 2,502 last year. Applications from NCOs have tripled over the same period ? from 609 in 2020 to 1,720 in 2024. As of August this year, another 2,301 service members ? 738 officers and 1,563 NCOs ? have already applied.
Analysts say the surge reflects worsening working conditions and burnout among mid-level personnel. In a survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses of 417 officers and NCOs with at least five years of service, respondents cited low financial compensation relative to workload at 22.5 percent, lack of fulfillment due to administrative duties at 20.1 percent, a sense of unfairness due to increases in conscript pay at 10.6 percent and separation from family due to frequent relocations at 9.6 percent as reasons for leaving the military.
Experts warn that the early departure of mid-career officers and NCOs ? who are vital to the daily operation and cohesion of military units ? could undermine military readiness, particularly as the armed forces face a shrinking pool of conscripts amid Korea’s low birthrate and aging population.
"We are conducting a study to analyze the underlying causes of the surge and plan to develop countermeasures based on the findings," an official from the Defense Ministry said.