Scandal about celebrities and military service reveals problems with Taiwan's reservists

Scandal about celebrities and military service reveals problems with Taiwan's reservists

in Taiwan, a scandal ensures negative headlines in the assault of conscription, in which numerous actors, influencers and musicians are to be involved, and throws a worrying light on compulsory military service and reservist forces. One day, these could be decisive for the defense of the island against a possible invasion by China.

allegations against compulsory military service

The military service system in Taiwan is criticized because it is supposedly unable to prepare the conscripts appropriately for a real war - an alarming situation in view of the aggressive threats of the big neighbor. On Monday, the authorities charged 28 defendants. Prosecutors accuse a group of four to have brought 24 healthy men to avoid the pretense of military service between 2016 and the beginning of this year. A total amount of 7.63 million new Taiwan dollars (approx. $ 255,000) was obtained. At least 11 celebrities, including the actor Darren Wang, are now suspected.

The dark side of conscription

Darren Wang, who came to fame ten years ago through the teen romantic comedy "Our Times", is said to have paid 3.6 million new Taiwan dollars (approx. $ 120,000) for a fake high blood pressure diagnosis. He has now started his military service, which is mandatory for men between the ages of 19 and 36. CNN asked Wang for a comment, but no answer until the time of publication.

Such organized attempts to avoid compulsory military service are mostly seen as a sign of indifference to military service, not as an expression of fear of military discipline. Chieh Chung, a research employee at the National Research Institute for Defense and Security Taiwan (NDSR), explains: "It is not the exhaustion through the training that the conscripts deteriorated, but a feeling of a waste of time." According to Chung, most of the service spend conscripts with less relevant tasks instead of preparing for the fight.

The history of compulsory military service in Taiwan

since 1949, when the nationalist government fled to the island after the loss of the Chinese Civil War, the compulsory military service was introduced in Taiwan. Male citizens have to serve either two years in the army or three years in the navy, air force or at the marines. This system, in its form or another, still exists - and Beijing's demands on the island are still unchanged, whereby the communist regime Taiwan claims as a separate territory that could be conquered by force if necessary.

However, conscription has long been perceived as little heroic. Many conscripts describe the service as a monotonous, disorganized and often irrelevant for modern warfare: a mixture of dry lectures, hours of waiting and outdated ceremonies. Mike Hunzeker, a former US Marinee and trainer from Taiwanese units, comments: "What you learn is everything else. You shoot a few balls, sit through lectures, mow and watch out for waking up-everything that is connected to a military high-flyer."

Reforms of compulsory military service in Taiwan

Taiwan's guide also recognized the problem. Shortly after taking office in 2016, the former President Tsai Ing-Wen called for comprehensive reforms to "not only cover up the problems, but to work more efficiently". In view of growing safety threats from Beijing, which last year carried out at least three large -scale military exercises around Taiwan, the government has extended the training times for conscripts and introduced reforms, including more shooting exercises with sharp ammunition and a focus on modern tactics. From January 2024, the minimum service was increased to a full year, compared to only four months under the previous regulations.

The effectiveness of these reforms remains to be seen. Critics warn that without a fundamental revision of the training, the young men will perceive the service as symbolic instead of strategic. "It is important what kind of training is offered to the new conscripts," says Chung. "It is crucial that you don't feel like you have wasted a year." A US official added that Taiwan is making progress in improving the reality of training for reservists, but still has some catching up to update in the update of the equipment and reform of the reservist units.

a comparison with South Korea

in nearby South Korea, a country that is also characterized by long -lasting tensions with its neighbor, the military service is taken very seriously. The countdown for the return of well -known personalities to the military uniform has become part of national culture during their service. Military service is not considered a disadvantage for the reputation, but often even as a sign of integrity and patriotism, which the careers can promote after uniformation.

In order to restore confidence in the compulsory military service in Taiwan, comprehensive reforms are required by military analysts, closing the loopholes, improving training and modernizing training in order to react to real threats. The focus should be on considering the service as an empty symbolism, but as a preparation for a possible conflict. It remains to be seen whether the latest reforms will bear fruit.

"The fear", says a former conscription, "is that the new system will look like the old - only longer."