South Korea's military academies are facing a decline in interest from potential candidates, with a significant number of applicants dropping out despite qualifying for final interviews. Data from the Ministry of National Defense revealed that this year, the Korea Military Academy, which trains army officer cadets, experienced a sharp decrease in the number of eligible applicants showing up for interviews, with only 22.5 percent attending out of 3,471 who passed the exams. The trend of fewer eligible applicants progressing through the admissions process began during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, with dropout rates increasing significantly compared to previous years. Lawmaker Park Sun-won attributed this decline to the administration's focus on raising the wages of conscripted soldiers while neglecting to improve the pay and treatment of junior-ranking officers. This disparity in compensation has led to low morale among officers and is seen as a key factor contributing to the military's recruitment challenges.