G'day all, My name is Joe from Australia.

I have few questions RE:Korean compulsory Millitary service.

I have been living out of korea for last 13 years of my life, and I am returning back to korea to serve upto 2.5 years of compulsory millitary service.

Can you please shine some light on this matter...?
life style, do you get paid? if so how much...?, good place to serve the terms....etc...etc.
How should I prepare for this...?

I have been studying in Australia last 13 years and now I have to do this...

anyway if some one can help me that would be appreciated :)

cheers
Joe

First, I must say you are a loyal citizen! It may be a difficult time for you. I'm not sure, really. I will attempt to get a friend, who is a KATUSA here in Seoul, to write to you. He was raised in Africa, speaks French and English very well. His Korean Army Private job is a chaplain's assistant. He is doing what you are planning to do. I'll see him next week and talk to him. I won't attempt to say much more, as I am no expert. I know the money is next to nothing. I see some apparently happy troops in the Army Band here at Yongsan. I see KATUSAS who seem disappointed with their jobs, and frustrated that they can't learn English as readily as they had hoped, but some have interesting jobs. A Korean with your apparent English fluency could end up with an interpreting job that would probably lead to good conditions for living and working. I am only speculating. If you have a college degree, that could be a great advantage. Considering the Officer Corps? See you next week here at General Military Discussion.

Mr. Joe you understand, that there is a difference in a KATUSA and ROK Soldier. They both constitute 2 years but.....totally different, but in the end they served 2 years for Korea.

__________________
CH-47 SI

They must find it difficult...

Those who have taken authority as the truth, rather than truth as the authority. --Gerald Massey

Yes. I understand very well. I was an Advisor at the Korean Air Force Hq. in Seoul for over 2 years.
I am only attempting to get Pva_Glue in contact with a knowledgable Korean who can assist him in getting accurate answers to his questions. No 미 극 사 람 on our forum, including myself, can do more than give him heresay and speculation.

Hopefully he may do better than a Katusa or the ROK Army! One of my brothers-in-law was in the ROK Army. One was ROK Air Force. One was in the ROK Navy. I hope he looks into the Navy or the Air Force.

Did you forget the National Police option? I doubt he would be interested in standing outside a US Military Post with a radio or baton all day, with a bus for his lunchroom and latrine for two years. They have softened up some lately, I notice some now carry umbrellas! (A step ahead of the US Army!)

I thank you both for the info.

I have finished college study, completed Biomedical Science and Forensic Science and Toxicology plus Criminology.
I hope that get a position as interpreter or working in the medical hospital areas.

It would be great if I can talk to someone who is already in the ROK or someone already completed service.

I hope I can prepare myself before I dive into ROK millitary lifestyle.

thank you once again.

I think your chances of a good job will be excellent. My youngest brother-in- law was a medic in the ROK Navy. He now owns restaurants in the US.

I will find more info for you next week and report here. If you did put your e-mail address in your member profile may I have someone email you? If not, I will get an email address for you to write to.

It's really hit or miss. If he were a KATUSA, I would say maybe there's a good chance for this. But I don't believe he has a chance of becoming a KATUSA at this point. So he'll be assigned to a ROK unit. I worked as an interpreter on numerous occasions while on active duty. Of course, the ROKs always had an interpreter with them also. If the interpreter was an officer, he got treated pretty well. But if he was a junior enlisted, he got treated like all junior enlisted in the ROK military get treated.

Once during a UFL, my unit was co-located with the 9th ROK Div (White Horse). The ROK interpreter was a PFC who had spent a good part of his life in the US. He had a law degree from Boston College - and not too surprisingly, was very sharp. He still got treated like a turd by the ROK officers and NCOs.

Even though the duty sucks, a lot of Koreans opt for this because it has the shortest service commitment. For a lot of them, military duty is just dead space in their lives, so the less of it they have to do, the better. So even if the only benefit is that you serve a few months less, to some it's worth it.

[quote=Mr. Joe]Yes. I understand very well. . No 미 극 사 람 on our forum, including myself, can do more than give him heresay and speculation.

To continue with our speculation, KATUSA may well be a poor choice for our well educated friend. It depends on him. He may want to try to go the officer route, which will have a tradeoff of better treatment, but may also require a longer commitment? He could elect the shortest route possible to get on with his life outside the military.

I tried both enlisted and officer routes in my career. There is basically one advantage to being enlisted. You only have to salute officers. They salute everyone, above and below. Also, you may get a good conduct medal. Officer's don't. They are expected to be good! (Don't tell me you saw an officer wearing one-he got it when he was enlisted.)

once again thank you all for information, In few months I will be like gold fish in the pacific ocean... I will be very confused and will take me few weeks to adjust into kroean millitary lifestyle.

I am sorry but I am not familiar with shorthands eg. KATUSA, PFC, etc..etc.
I believed once my health check is done I'll be straight back into bootcamp, then I have chance to CHOOSE my OWN specialist skills area in the milltary... right?
I am opting for shortest time as possible, how long is army, navy or airforce service durations?

anyway thank you for info.

and Mr.Joe my e-mail address is sduperth@hotmail.com

thank you all.
regards
Joe