Republic of Korea Army Private First Class Atheist here. Back in basic training, many trainees were forced to go to religious services, despite not being religious (myself included). Apparently, from what I’ve overheard, this was because official recommendations from higher leadership was to “encourage religious activities as it lessens suicide” (paraphrasing here). (A lot of soldiers commit suicide and stuff but that’s another story). We had a choice between Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, and another religious service I don’t really know how to translate but it was another form of Buddhism.

What really pissed me off was when we were forced to go to a baptism. Although this is partly speculation, its most likely because most of the leadership was Christian. I had to go to the ceremony and refuse the baptism in person.

I’ve expressed that I did not want to go to religious services to my immediate chain of command platoon guy then sergeant in charge of our platoon, but both told me nothing could be done and that I had to go, mentioning that the decision was from higher up, and that they also had no choice.

Later, during one of the religious activities at a church, I saw one of the upper leadership officers who might have been responsible for this, so despite not quite following chain of command, I went to talk with him and expressed my concerns. He told me he was not aware, and that he was sorry that happened. That was near the end of my training days anyway so I don’t really know if that changed anything, but I doubt it.

It’s been 10 months, and thinking back on it it still angers me. I don’t really know if there’s legal options for this kind of thing either. (We are allowed freedom of religion in the army - maybe they meant with an asterisk “not freedom from religion” haha). I just hope the trainees after me don’t have to go through that bullshit again.