Military - Dementia for Korean Students in Higher Education

Harry Han

In most things there exists a flow to it and a right timing. However if that stream of flow stops, people find themselves struggling to butt right back into the stream of flow. People say during higher education, students vastly expand their knowledge and prepare for their career. Unfortunately, most Korean students in higher education concern about whether military should be attended during higher education or after, and consequences may vary according to their choices.

Avoiding to attend military service is not an option for Korean students. According to an article “Leave of Absence for Korean Students,” by So-Yeong Kang, number of students staying out of colleges for a long period of time increased from 500,000 to 600,000 between years 2000 and 2005. Among these large groups of people, there are Korean students who are mostly of attending military. This so called gap year affects academic lives of Korean college students as it brings a stop to their thinking process. Within almost two and a half years Korean students miss out on every aspect of academics while undergoing hardcore training. Thus, by the time they get back to college, students find themselves troubling to readjust to the academics and most regret as they notice their brain no longer functions as it used to be.

People say between the age of 20 through 25 is the best period where one can obtain most knowledge. However to throw out this chance of pushing students to their next level of academics, by attending mandatory military service is a disadvantage to students’ lives. Although avoiding this mandatory service is impossible there are other options to it. According to Korean Government Law, one may attend military within the age of 19 to 24. This indicates that Korean students has a choice of finishing their college first and then attend military.

Attending military service within college years is not a smart move. Korean students will surely face consequences having an absence of academics, and in order to succeed one should plan ahead, judge smart, and study when they can.