Chapter 395 Military Service
Chapter 395 Military Service
"I understand what Zhongtai means," An Rusong said without hesitation after hearing what Jin Zhongtai asked. He nodded and said with a smile, "This is a simple matter. Zhongtai, just tell me what you want to do. I will ask the company to fully cooperate."
"Haha, Rusong is really one of us," Jin Zhongtai was very happy. He changed the cigarette between his fingers to his left hand, patted An Rusong's knee with his free right hand, and said with a smile, "I have made you my friend. From now on, your affairs are mine, Jin Zhongtai's affairs."
"Haha, Brother Zhongtai is too polite," An Rusong smiled and said, "But, to be honest, I do have something that I need Brother Zhongtai's help with."
"What is it?" Jin Zhongtai waved his hand generously and said, "Just tell me. As long as I can help, I will definitely not refuse."
An Rusong also got himself a cigarette and lit it. After hesitating for a while, he said, "It's like this, Brother Zhongtai, I'm almost 28 years old this year, and so far, I haven't completed the military service I should have undertaken."
In South Korea, the final age limit for military service is 28 years old. So, according to An Rushong, if he does not serve in the military in the next two years, he will be held responsible for evading military service.
"In addition, I have several younger brothers in my family. They have also reached the age for military service. One of them, like me, just received a military service notice some time ago," An Rushong said after taking a puff of cigarette.
"Hiss" After hearing what he said, Jin Zhongtai obviously understood what he meant immediately. This guy frowned instantly and took a deep breath, looking quite embarrassed.
"What's wrong, Brother Zhongtai, are you in a difficult situation?" An Rushong asked tentatively.
Jin Zhongtai did not answer directly. He touched his pocket, took out a mobile phone, and then quickly dialed a number.
The call was obviously made to the previous translator. Jin Zhongtai told the other party on the phone to find a place to park in front and then take the briefcase he had left in the car.
"Rusong, ask Miss Jenny to stop the car in front," he said to An Rusong after hanging up the phone, "I need you to take a look at something."
Although he didn't understand what the other party wanted him to see, An Rushong still opened the small window on the partition and informed Jenny to stop the car in front.
The car stopped quickly, and soon the handsome translator came jogging over with a briefcase in his arms.
Jin Zhongtai opened the car door, took the briefcase handed to him by the translator, and then closed the door again with a bang.
"Rusong," ignoring the translator standing outside the car, Jin Zhongtai opened the lid of his briefcase, took out a document from it, handed it to An Rusong, and said, "Look, this is a document that was just issued by the Ministry of National Defense the day before yesterday."
"Oh?" An Rushong took the document without knowing what was going on. He stared at the other party, then held the document in front of the wall lamp inside the car next to him and carefully read the contents on the document.
Just as Kim Jung-tae said, this document was issued by the Ministry of National Defense and was signed by the new Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin. As for the content involved in the document, it was precisely about military service issues.
The general meaning of the document is that the Blue House is promoting the implementation of clean civil service work. Although the military of the Republic of Korea does not belong to the civil service system, the Blue House also attaches great importance to the clean government of the military.
As the master of the Blue House, President Lee Min-bo has put forward clear rectification requirements for three tasks, namely military procurement, officer integrity and military service. The first task that the Ministry of National Defense is currently preparing to tackle is the issue of military service. The most important issue in the military service is the issue of evasion and refusal of military service.
The content of the document is very long, more than a dozen pages in total, and involves sixty or seventy items, but its main purpose is ultimately just one thing, that is, no matter who you are, as long as you have reached the age of military service and meet the conditions for military service, you must join the army and serve.
In the past, young Korean men could be exempted from military service if they met certain conditions, such as mental disorders, serious illnesses, disabilities, or if they had made significant contributions to the country, such as Olympic gold medalists.
In addition, South Korea has a term called "permanent reserve service." Before 1999, people who served this kind of military service only needed to receive 12 months of training in the army, and then they could leave the barracks and live outside the barracks.
Now, to be precise, since 1999, those who serve this kind of military service can live outside the military camps during their entire service period. In other words, they essentially do not have to serve in the military at all. In the past decade or so, many children of chaebols and officials have served in the military in this way, which is actually a disguised exemption from military service.
However, in this document, the Ministry of National Defense, in accordance with the instructions of the Blue House, has made new and strict regulations for the "permanent reserve service", and anyone who applies for this type of military service must undergo strict review. In addition, the Ministry of National Defense is required to submit detailed information on those who perform this type of military service to the Blue House every year.
"Rusong," Jin Zhongtai said after watching An Rusong finish reading the document, "the current situation is like this. President Lee has just entered the Blue House, and the first card he played for governing is integrity. Therefore, it is foreseeable that at least in the next one or two years, the work related to military service will be strictly enforced. In addition, the progressives will definitely keep an eye on this and will not relax for a moment."
"Is there no other way?" An Rushong frowned.
"Of course not," Jin Zhongtai shook his head and said, "If it's just you, Rusong, we can put you in the category of 'regular reserve'. You can serve in the First Guard Regiment under the Capital Guard Command. The current commander of this guard regiment is Wu Renxun. I have a very good relationship with him. I can introduce him to you later. In this way, it is equivalent to helping you exempt from military service."
An Rushong had just bought a luxurious villa in Inwang Mountain as his residence. He certainly knew about the existence of the First Guard Regiment, because the headquarters of this unit was located at the foot of Inwang Mountain. Looking down from An Rushong's villa, he could see the four buildings in the headquarters.
If he could be assigned to serve in this unit, and enlist as a "regular reserve", then for An Rusong, it would really be the same as being exempted from military service. He didn't have to serve and train in the army at all. Considering that his residence was so close to the regiment headquarters, he might be able to stop by the regiment headquarters to check in on his way home from get off work every day.
"The problem now is your brothers, Rusong," Jin Zhongtai continued, "If they are also included in the 'regular reserve', it would be too conspicuous. Your identity is very special. Once this matter is caught by those progressive people, it is likely to cause unnecessary trouble."
An Rushong nodded in understanding. He could also understand Jin Zhongtai's difficulties. To be honest, serving in the military in South Korea is a big deal. Even ordinary chaebol families may not be able to let all their children escape military service.
"Well, Brother Zhongtai, do you have any good suggestions?" After a moment's silence, An Rushong asked.
"In fact, there is a way," Jin Zhongtai nodded and said, "Of course, if this method is used on others, it may not be possible, but if it is you, Rusong, it should be no problem."
"Oh?" An Rusong raised his eyebrows and said, "Brother Zhongtai means..."
"Think about it, the place we just went to more than ten minutes ago," Jin Zhongtai did not answer directly, but instead said.
"The South Camp of Longshan Military Camp?" An Rushong answered subconsciously.
"I mean the Yongsan Barracks," Jin Zhongtai said, "You should also know that there has always been a special form of military service in our army, which is 'KATUSA'. You can ask your brothers at home to apply to serve in the US military stationed in South Korea."
An Rushong suddenly realized that the so-called "KATUSA" is actually the Korean Army attached to the US Army stationed in South Korea. According to the provisions of the "Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and South Korea", South Korea needs to arrange a certain number of personnel to serve in the US Army stationed in South Korea. To put it bluntly, they are to serve the US Army stationed in South Korea.
These South Korean soldiers do not usually serve in the South Korean military, but stay in various barracks of the US military stationed in South Korea. The tasks they undertake are not assigned by the South Korean military, but are the responsibility of the US military stationed in South Korea.
Although these attached Korean troops have a low status and are generally discriminated against in the US military camps, most Koreans who need to serve in the military are still more willing to serve in this form. Because although the salary subsidies of the attached Korean troops are exactly the same as those of ordinary Korean soldiers, the welfare benefits they enjoy in the US military camps are much better than those of ordinary Korean troops. At least their food is much better than that of ordinary Korean troops.
Of course, these attached Korean soldiers still have to serve honestly in the barracks, and there is no exemption from any service period. Not only that, in order to become an attached Korean soldier, one must be able to speak fluent English.
However, these were not difficult for An Rusong. As long as he asked, both Leonard and Alvin would definitely be willing to help him. Asking the Korean army for a few serving soldiers was not a difficult task for these two American colonels.
The most important thing is that the military service supervision agency in the Korean military has no power to investigate the situation in the US military camp. As long as An Rusong can deal with Leonard or Alvin, his brothers don't have to serve in the US military camp. They just need to put their names on it.
(End of this chapter)