Samsung Chairman’s Son Enlists into the ROK Navy as an Officer Candidate

I have seen Koreans who are college graduates agree to do longer military service by becoming officers just to have better working conditions compared to just being a standard draftee. Being an officer though requires long military service of 39 months compared to the 18 months of a draftee:

Lee Jee-ho, the only son of Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong, began his mandatory military service Monday as a Navy officer candidate.

The 24-year-old, who was born in the United States in 2000, entered the Jinhae Naval Base Command in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, in the afternoon, accompanied by family. His enlistment follows last week’s announcement that he would renounce his US citizenship and fulfill his compulsory service obligations.

Lee will undergo an 11-week training program before being commissioned as an ensign on Dec. 1. He is slated to serve 39 months.

South Korea requires all able-bodied men to serve in the military for at least 18 months.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link, but good on Lee’s son for agreeing to complete his mandatory military service. With him being an American citizen could have avoided military service all together, but still decided to do it.