The Current State and Future Directions of Military Leadership Research in South Korea

The purpose of this study is to examine the current state and future directions of military leadership research in South Korea, thereby highlighting the importance of military leadership, understanding its current status, and proposing developmental strategies for future research. Through a review of literature and prior studies, this study compares the concepts of military leadership with general leadership in detail, demonstrating that the leadership theories and models applied to general organizations are equally applicable to military organizations. Despite rapid changes in warfare due to advancements in weapon systems, the significance of military leadership in the human domain remains critical, given the unique challenges of leadership in the military, such as the number of leaders, the scale of their influence, and extreme leadership situations. An analysis of scholarly research trends from academic journals reveals that most domestic studies on military leadership quantitatively focus on the effectiveness of specific leadership styles— such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership, servant leadership, and ethical leadership— when employed by junior military officers toward their subordinates. Practical studies conducted by leadership-related departments in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps cover topics such as leadership diagnosis, educational content, leadership development programs, and conceptual frameworks. However, these studies lack depth and systematic approaches. Based on the current state of military leadership research, the study proposes future developmental directions, emphasizing the application of diverse research models and methodologies, expanding research topics, and integrating the diversity of human resources. To advance military leadership research, the study suggests incorporating models such as extreme leadership, reframing leadership, and indigenous leadership concepts like “Nauri Leadership.” Methodologically, it highlights the importance of enhancing qualitative research, applying advanced analytical techniques like multilevel modeling, and integrating perspectives from various academic disciplines. From the perspective of expanding research topics, this study advocates exploring core values, battlefield leadership, soldier leadership development programs, negative leadership, technological advancements and leadership, and the integration of human resource management models. Regarding the diversity of human resources, the study recommends addressing differences across hierarchical levels, generational characteristics such as those of MZ generations, followership, female military leadership, globalization, and integrated research across Army, Navy, and Air Force branches. This study provides meaningful insights for researchers and practitioners interested in military leadership by underscoring its significance and offering innovative ideas for research topics and methodologies based on a diagnosis of the current state of the field. The limitations and future directions of this research are discussed in the concluding section.