Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense is considering expanding and formalizing reservist training requirements for women following strikingly low voluntary participation rates. Defense Minister Wellington Koo disclosed the plans during a Legislative Yuan committee session on Wednesday. Currently, fewer than 100 women have completed voluntary reserve training over the past four years combined. Consequently, officials are now reviewing legal amendments that would bring female reservists into a more structured mandatory framework.
Koo confirmed that between 2023 and last year, only 79 women completed the voluntary reservist training program in total. Furthermore, just ten women received approval for the training this year, with only three having completed it so far. These figures highlight a significant gap between the existing female reserve force and actual participation in readiness training. Additionally, the numbers stand in stark contrast to the mandatory reserve training framework that applies uniformly to male service members.
Under current regulations, women who serve as volunteer enlisted soldiers automatically enter the reserve force upon discharge. However, female officers and noncommissioned officers join the reserve only on a purely voluntary basis. As a result, a large portion of qualified female former service members remain outside active reserve training mobilization entirely. Proposed legal amendments would change this by allowing the ministry to mobilize discharged female officers, noncommissioned officers, and enlisted personnel for reserve training.
Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lo Mei-ling raised the question of whether women who joined before and after any legal change might face different treatment. Specifically, she asked whether pre-amendment and post-amendment female service members could face voluntary versus mandatory reserve obligations respectively. Koo acknowledged the legal complexity involved, noting that protecting legitimate expectations for existing service members requires careful consideration. Moreover, he confirmed the ministry is actively discussing the matter with the Executive Yuan before finalizing any approach.
The broader debate reflects Taiwan’s ongoing effort to strengthen its overall defense readiness amid persistent regional security pressures. Going forward, formalizing female reservist participation could meaningfully expand Taiwan’s reserve manpower pool. Officials urged public support for the policy as legislative and executive reviews continue progressing toward a concrete legal resolution.
