South Korea's military shrinks by 20% due to low birth rates, facing readiness challenges.

In the past six years, South Korea's military has shrunk by 20% to 450,000 troops due to a significant drop in the male population of enlistment age. This decline is attributed to South Korea's world-lowest birth rate, leading to a shortfall in officers and potential operational difficulties. Despite a defense budget larger than North Korea's economy, South Korea's military remains 50,000 troops short of adequate defense readiness. The country's population is projected to decrease to 36.2 million by 2072 due to its aging society and low fertility rate.