Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park, left, jumps with Wigan Athletic's Fitz Hall, right, during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Tuesday Dec. 26, 2006. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson) ** NO INTERNET/MOBILE USAGE WITHOUT FAPL LICENCE - SEE IPTC SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FIELD FOR DETAILS



Defense Ministry Considering Salaried Volunteer Force

The Ministry of Defense confirmed that it intends to begin a ‘salaried conscript system’ from the beginning of 2011. A military source said, “We plan to increasingly extend the number of salaried conscripts, up to 20,000 by 2020,” adding, “The plan was laid out first during a meeting of top military officials on December 15 after Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo was inaugurated.

According to the plan, the ministry can allow conscripts to remain in the military for an additional year after their two-year mandatory service, if they want to. The source added that the salary will be the same as the first year salary for college graduates.

The system is likely to be partly adopted from 2008 to be tested. The salaried conscripts will be deployed in the fields where long-term experience and technologies are needed. The source confirmed that the ministry will recruit a maximum of 20,000 voluntary specialists.

The military will begin to formulate details of salaries, welfare, and military rank in mid-2007. A military source said, “The system is expected to be complete in 2020, but the budget has to be provided. We will approach it prudently.”
/ 입력시간: 2006. 12.27. 08:39