A graphic shows the rising share of active-duty soldiers discharged as unfit for service due to mental health-related reasons, increasing from 82.6% in 2021 to 85.8% in 2025 data from office of Rep. Yoo Yong-won. Graphic by Asia Today and translated by UPI
Feb. 15 (Asia Today) — The proportion of South Korean conscripts deemed eligible for active duty has risen steadily in recent years, but thousands of service members continue to leave the military early each year, with mental health issues accounting for the vast majority of cases.
According to the Military Manpower Administration, the active-duty eligibility rate increased from 83.08% in 2021 to 86.65% in 2025 as authorities eased standards to offset a declining pool of military-age men.
Data submitted by the Defense Ministry to Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the conservative People Power Party showed that more than 20,000 troops were discharged over the past five years after being deemed unfit for continued active-d