TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — People serving in the military for four months will not have to stay on for an additional eight months if the government decides to bring back one-year conscription, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said Wednesday (Oct. 12).

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and large-scale live-fire drills by China in August, the current four-month conscription period has been widely described as inadequate in preparing Taiwanese to resist an attack by China.

As a result, the government is widely expected to restore one-year compulsory military service by the end of the year, though the opposition has accused it of delaying the announcement until after the Nov. 26 local elections. The defense minister denied the allegations, saying elections were not on his mind, the Liberty Times reported.

Speaking at the Legislative Yuan on Wednesday, Chiu said that people who had served for four months only would not have to return to barracks for an additional eight months, per CNA.

Prodded about the timing of one-year conscription, the minister said that even though there was no timetable, he was hoping the introduction could be announced before the end of this year.

Since one year had to pass between the official proclamation and the start of the new system, one-year conscription would begin in 2024, Chiu said. If the proclamation was made in 2023, the change would have to wait until 2025.