“Nobody wants to waste two precious years of their youth in the army.” That was one of the many gaffes of former President Roh Moo-hyun, but one that few could refute. Nor do most Koreans, including women, deny the need for the state to reward this unconditional service for the nation in one way or another.
The problem is, in what ways exactly? Some lawmakers and defense ministry seem to find the answer in reviving a system, which calls for giving extra points to ex-soldiers in state employment exams.
We beg to differ. Giving advantages to veterans should not work as disadvantages against women, physically challenged men and others who cannot join the army if they want to for various reasons under the current system.
And this is why the Constitutional Court ruled on the extra point system for ex-soldiers unconstitutional in 1999 as breaching the principle of equal rights. Proponents of the revived act say it would reduce extra scores from 3-5 points to 2 points and limit the percentage of successful veteran applicants in this way. But discrimination is discrimination, large or small, and the reduction of the benefit scales cannot turn the unconstitutional into constitutional.
Worse yet, the number of veterans who benefit from the extra point system are only a fraction of ex-soldiers. This means the reward system should be far more comprehensive. The United States, for instance, provides diverse benefits for veterans, ranging from job training for ex-soldiers and even their spouses to employment referrals and to benefits in college tuition, pension and retirement age.
Discrimination can be bearable at times as long as it is reasonable, but the extra score system is not such case with the government giving a lot of self credit for giving this small, largely costless present, which can be fatal to other competitors, however.
If Korea needs its own version of G.I. Bill, it should also be ready to spend some money. Nothing can be earned for free.