Conscription in South Korea
Conscription in South Korea has existed since 1957 and requires male citizens between the ages of 18 and 28 to perform in the army compulsory military service. Women are not required to perform military service, but may voluntarily enlist.
History of Japan–Korea relations
During the [[Korea under Japanese rule|colonial period]], more than 100,000 Koreans served in the [[Imperial Japanese Army]]. The service of these Korean men was forced upon them, but it is without a doubt that Koreans fought alongside Japanese as allies to battle against the forces of the [[Allies of World War II]]. Some Korean women were also sent as [[comfort women]] at the war front to serve the Imperial Japanese Army. There are several controversies about this issue, including the veracity on the nature of the comfort women as sex slaves, or whether the Japanese Imperial Army was involved in the supposed women's abductions. The issue on comfort women had been the source of diplomatic tensions between Japan and Korea since the 1980s.