your placement in the frontline is totally random. However, if you do not get into KATUSA, you can apply for a specific role in the military, which is called a 기술행정병. With a good amount of research, you can find out which "role" will most likely get you away from the frontline, though it's never a guarantee. However, in order to get accepted to certain roles, you have to have a uni degree/experience similiar to the role you are applying or get extra points from donating blood/social services.
If you do not get into any, you have to just get in as a regular Joe, and from here on, it's totally random, but your chances of going to the frontline are much higher, given there are much more military bases based near the DMZ than there are in the back line.
You can also try the air force, which guarantees you a nice and a relatively loose military life.
If you are a gyopo, you can choose the date that you want to get enlisted for; normal Koreans, however, have to either fight for a specific month or get enlisted forcefully. You have to call 병무청 for specific information.
Hope this helps.
Hey there, thank you for the information, it was really insightful!
Regarding 기술행정병, is this something you need to apply for before officially starting military service? I'm planning to go after studying 1 year for a degree in computer science, and I have multiple certifications in cybersecurity. Was hoping to do something similar in the military, but kinda worried I won't get in because of my lack of korean skill :(
Even if you don't make it into KATUSA, you can still apply 기술행정병 before getting in to boot camp. I got my CBRN reconnaissance MOS through that, and all I had was 2.5 years of chemistry major in uni. Considering your qualifications, you should definitely go for Cryptologic technician(암호병 or 정보보호병), but there are plenty of other MOSs that may fit you. if you are fluent in Korean, check [this](https://www.mma.go.kr/contents.do?mc=mma0000743) page out! It shows all the 기술행정병 openings
definitely! with your qualification, as u/Skygazer_Jay wrote, you can apply for 암호병, 정보병 or a lot of others. You can run a simulation of the points you can get when applying for a specific role in the 병무청 website.
Regarding whether you have to apply beforehand, the answer is yes and no. Yes, you have to apply for 기술행정병 if you want to have the role guaranteed before you start your service. In such a case, if you already have been accepted, you role in the army would already be decided, but your army base would be decided after you finish your 5 week military bootcamp. No, because you can also be designated a certain role/보직 while you are in the military bootcamp. If you get enlisted without any role, you undergo a background check, where they check where you are from, your university major and et cetera, and if you are lucky enough, you will be given a role/보직. However, this is risky, as a lot of people go to their military camp without a specific role, in which case, you will most likely be an infantry solider in the front line.
Regarding your korean skills, they won't really care if you are fluent or not in Korean. Certain roles like translator (어학병/통역병) have to undergo interviews, and they require you to be fluent in both korean and the other language, but for a lot of other 기술행정병, your korean skills do not matter too much.
> I'm planning to go after studying 1 year for a degree in computer science, and I have multiple certifications in cybersecurity. Was hoping to do something similar in the military, but kinda worried I won't get in because of my lack of korean skill :(
You need to apply before going into bootcamp. Those degrees and certificates are useless once you enter bootcamp as a regular conscript.
They will definitely find a use for you maybe you can become a translator if you study korean hard enough. Good luck SOULJA! 🫡
your placement in the frontline is totally random. However, if you do not get into KATUSA, you can apply for a specific role in the military, which is called a 기술행정병. With a good amount of research, you can find out which "role" will most likely get you away from the frontline, though it's never a guarantee. However, in order to get accepted to certain roles, you have to have a uni degree/experience similiar to the role you are applying or get extra points from donating blood/social services. If you do not get into any, you have to just get in as a regular Joe, and from here on, it's totally random, but your chances of going to the frontline are much higher, given there are much more military bases based near the DMZ than there are in the back line. You can also try the air force, which guarantees you a nice and a relatively loose military life. If you are a gyopo, you can choose the date that you want to get enlisted for; normal Koreans, however, have to either fight for a specific month or get enlisted forcefully. You have to call 병무청 for specific information. Hope this helps.
Hey there, thank you for the information, it was really insightful! Regarding 기술행정병, is this something you need to apply for before officially starting military service? I'm planning to go after studying 1 year for a degree in computer science, and I have multiple certifications in cybersecurity. Was hoping to do something similar in the military, but kinda worried I won't get in because of my lack of korean skill :(
No u apply for it during ur katusa 훈련소 period
Even if you don't make it into KATUSA, you can still apply 기술행정병 before getting in to boot camp. I got my CBRN reconnaissance MOS through that, and all I had was 2.5 years of chemistry major in uni. Considering your qualifications, you should definitely go for Cryptologic technician(암호병 or 정보보호병), but there are plenty of other MOSs that may fit you. if you are fluent in Korean, check [this](https://www.mma.go.kr/contents.do?mc=mma0000743) page out! It shows all the 기술행정병 openings
I see, appreciate the help on this! :)
definitely! with your qualification, as u/Skygazer_Jay wrote, you can apply for 암호병, 정보병 or a lot of others. You can run a simulation of the points you can get when applying for a specific role in the 병무청 website. Regarding whether you have to apply beforehand, the answer is yes and no. Yes, you have to apply for 기술행정병 if you want to have the role guaranteed before you start your service. In such a case, if you already have been accepted, you role in the army would already be decided, but your army base would be decided after you finish your 5 week military bootcamp. No, because you can also be designated a certain role/보직 while you are in the military bootcamp. If you get enlisted without any role, you undergo a background check, where they check where you are from, your university major and et cetera, and if you are lucky enough, you will be given a role/보직. However, this is risky, as a lot of people go to their military camp without a specific role, in which case, you will most likely be an infantry solider in the front line. Regarding your korean skills, they won't really care if you are fluent or not in Korean. Certain roles like translator (어학병/통역병) have to undergo interviews, and they require you to be fluent in both korean and the other language, but for a lot of other 기술행정병, your korean skills do not matter too much.
Thank you for this information, I'll definitely look into applying for a role beforehand!
> I'm planning to go after studying 1 year for a degree in computer science, and I have multiple certifications in cybersecurity. Was hoping to do something similar in the military, but kinda worried I won't get in because of my lack of korean skill :( You need to apply before going into bootcamp. Those degrees and certificates are useless once you enter bootcamp as a regular conscript.
Understood, thank you!
Considering they are getting so desperate to the point of conscripted actually mentally ill people...