2018/04/02
The Ministry of National Defense explained in response of the media report “Discuss the black hole of the military strength of the national army from their frivolous recruitment”. (April 2nd, 2018)
The Ministry of National Defense press release
13:00PM, April 2nd, 2018
In response to the newspaper report of “Discuss the black hole of the military strength of the national army from their frivolous recruitment”, the Ministry’s response is as follows:
I. In 2012, the implementation plan of enlist set the manpower target of voluntary military service as 90%, and currently the total troop of the national army is 215 thousand people, and excluding deduction amount of 19 thousand people (students, enlistment, under training, sickness and non-payment of salaries) and civil service and contract workers (about 7.9 thousand people), the military troop is about 188 thousand people in total; 90% of planned target is about 169 thousand people, and we estimate that the amount of voluntary military service in the end of 2018 is about 152 thousand people, the preparation ratio is 81% and the vacancy amount is about 17 thousand people.
II. The Ministry of National Defense said that the recruitment performance of each squad is considerably improve compared with last year (2017), and with regard to some recent misconduct cases such as street recruitment activities and frivolous propaganda, the Ministry already called all military officers (directors) above the brigade level to hold a review meeting and required that the recruitment propaganda of the national army should emphasize on the “core value of the national army” and “the professional characteristics of the military people” to protect our nation and family, and also required that the arm force of battalion and company level should focus on the main duty of combat and training, the recruitment should focus on camp tutoring, new soldier training and transfer, reunion and club activities, it is prohibited that soldiers conduct street recruitment activities, set booths and frivolous propaganda to avoid harming the image of military personnel.
III. The Ministry of National Defense emphasizes that the recruitment of the national army had been transformed since 2012, keep reducing compulsory military service and increasing voluntary military service year by year. As the compulsory military service retired from military service at the end of the year, the obligatory military service is fully consisted of voluntary military service, and the ministry will keep recruitment through multiple channels, focus on both quantity and quality and keep improving supporting measures of recruitment and retain to maintain reliable military power to ensure national safety. We call on support and encouragement from the society.