TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on Monday (Dec. 18) that conscripted soldiers who do not pass their basic training will only receive a base salary of about NT＄10,000, and will not be eligible for professional bonuses or honor leave.
The MND's new one-year mandatory service, which is set to commence in January 2024, requires conscripts to undergo 8 weeks of basic training followed by 44 weeks of unit training.
The basic training curriculum includes combat instruction, tactical marching, and battlefield medical aid courses.
Only those who pass the basic training and acquire the "Completion of Training Specialty Certificate" will qualify for an additional monthly professional bonus of NT＄10,190, bringing the total monthly salary to NT＄20,320.
In an effort to ensure the effectiveness of training, the MND further issued guidelines for supplementary training and re-tests for conscripts who fail to meet the standards last Tuesday.