How To Say “Military” In Korean

Let’s get to learning how to say “military” in Korean.

Did you know in Korea, every man between the ages of 18 and 35 is expected to complete their 2-year military service?

If you are interested in knowing more, we have a separate article about Military Service in South Korea.

Ten-hut!

Different ways to say “military” in Korean

The main word for “military” in Korean is 군사 (gunsa).

“Armed forces” in Korean

However, the word that is more often used to say “military” in Korean is actually 군대 (gundae) – this is the word to use, especially when referring to the mandatory military service that all Korean men have to complete.

내 군대생활이 너무 힘들어서 다시 그거에 대해서 생각도 하고 싶지 않아. (nae gundaesaenghwari neomu himdeureoseo dasi geugeoe daehaeseo saenggakdo hago sipji ana.)

My time in the military was so hard I do not want to even think about it again.

Other words related to “military” in Korean

The word 군대 (gundae) can be, and often is, used on its own. However, it is common to use the word 군사 (gunsa) in front of other words. Here are some of them.

“Military training” in Korean

The word for “military training” in Korean is 군사 훈련 (gunsa hullyeon).

Sample sentence

우리의 군사 훈련이 한 달 동안 지속될 것이기 때문에, 나는 많은 힘든 날들이 올 것이라고 예상해요. (uriui gunsa hullyeoni han dal dongan jisokdoel geosigi ttaemune, naneun maneun himdeun naldeuri ol geosirago yesanghaeyo.)

Since our military training will last for a month, I expect many hard days to come.

“Soldier” in Korean

The word for “soldier” in Korean is 군인 (gunin). 

This is an example of an occasion where if you want to refer to something military-related, you only need to use 군 (gun) to indicate it as military-related.

Sample sentence

저는 직업군인이에요. (jeoneun jigeopguninieyo.)

I am a professional soldier.   

“Military uniform” in Korean

The word for “military uniform” in Korean is 군복 (gunbok). 

“Army” in Korean

Lastly, the Korean word for “army” is 육군 (yukgun) or also 군대 (gundae).

These are all great words to know, along with the common Korean words that you should learn first.

Sample sentence

벌써 군대에 갔어요? (beolsseo gundaee gasseoyo?)

Did you already go to the army?

A word of caution about Romanization

While it is possible for you to study the words in this article simply by reading their Romanized versions, it will come in handy for you to be able to read Hangeul if you ever wish to come to Korea. Hangeul is the Korean alphabet, and not difficult to learn. In fact, you can learn it in just 90 minutes.

After you’ve familiarized yourself with Hangeul, life in Korea will suddenly seem so much easier, and the country won’t appear so foreign to you. So, if you’re serious about learning Korean, why not learn Hangeul today? Check out this article for a free guide on how to do it while you have your next cup of coffee.

Wrap Up

If you’re interested in learning more about the Korean language and culture, such as the Korean age or its national flag, head over to our blog for lots of excellent resources.