Should Cons Get Priority for Jobs?
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
For most South Korean young men, the country's two-year-long compulsory military service is an unavoidable source of trouble as they must suspend their studies in colleges or quit jobs at the peak of their youth.
Though the government has been making efforts to improve the welfare of soldiers and their service environment, conscripts still moan and groan over the duty. They argue the draft system compromises their social competitiveness and want to be compensated for their ``sacrifice.''
A heated debate has been underway in recent months over the issue, eight years after the Constitutional Court said ``no'' to it.
In 1999, the court ruled against a system to give additional points to discharged soldiers when they take state-run exams to become public officials, upholding a petition from an association of women's groups.
It said the measure is ``too excessive'' and breaches the equal rights status of women and the disabled who are not obliged to serve in the military.
In South Korea, all able-bodied men over 19 are required to serve in the military for 24-27 months. Women can serve in the military as non-commissioned officers or officers but are not obliged to under the conscription system.
Last month, Rep. Ko Jeou-heung of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) submitted a bill to revive an incentive system for discharged soldiers, re-igniting controversy over the issue.
Under Ko's bill, passed by a national defense subcommittee of the National Assembly on June 22, those who served in the military are able to receive up to two additional percentage points to their scores in exams to become public servants or work at public firms.
For example, if a man who served in active duty receives 50 points in an exam, he can get an additional one point.
``We need to come up with substantial measures to support young men who spend their youth and valuable time for national defense,'' said Ko. ``I believe the additional point system is the most effective and realistic one to compensate discharged soldiers.''
The lawmaker stressed the new system would not be in violation of equal rights since the advantages under the bill have been eased to a greater extent not to harm the rights of women and the disabled.
Previously, all men who served in active military duty could get additional three to five percentage points unconditionally, on top of their original scores. For instance, a man who got 80 points could receive five additional points.
Though they failed in an exam, they could keep taking other exams with the fixed additional points. Men who served in substitute duties such as civil support work and retired female officers did not benefit from this system.
Ko's bill, however, is applicable to the both on a graded point basis.
In addition, only 20 percent of applicants in an exam would be allowed the additional points, and the advantage would be limited after a certain test period, the lawmaker said.
``Many other nations in the world, even those adopting a voluntary conscription system, are implementing systems to support discharged soldiers,'' Ko said, citing examples of the United States, Germany and Thailand.
The United States gives five to 10 additional points to discharged soldiers and disabled veterans when they take state-run exams to become civil servants, and the retired soldiers are also given the support for school fees and a preference in employment, Ko said.
Germany and Thailand also have similar social systems to support discharged solders and their family members.
Professor Kim Byung-jo of the Korea National Defense University called for women's perceptions to change about the mandatory service.
``I just want women and the disabled to be open minded and understand the difficulties of men's military service,'' he said. ``As you know, for example, exemplary taxpayers receive various benefits from the government. Serving in the military is a more important and difficult task, and that should recognized and compensated, not be taken for granted."
According to a survey conducted by Pollever last week, three in four people are in favor of Ko's revision bill. The poll of 1,204 adults over 19 found that 73.6 percent of the respondents supported the incentive for discharged soldiers, while 26.3 percent opposed the plan.
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) backs the bill.
Lt. Col. Park Wang-ok at the ministry's public affairs office said a minimum level of incentives of any kind for discharged soldiers were necessary to offset their time and efforts in the military.
``We are considering various ways of giving incentives (to discharged soldiers) in a manner not contradictory to the 1999 ruling and public opinion,'' he said.
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Women and disabled groups' are blasting the move, saying the incentive system could harm job opportunities for ``minority groups.''
``We agree that those who served in the military should receive some benefits, but the additional point system is wrong as the idea is to the detriment of the disabled and women,'' said Hong Mi-young of the pro-government Uri Party said. ``Most of all, the measure was disallowed by the Constitutional Court because of its unlawfulness.''
She raised suspicions that the GNP was abusing the controversial issue to garner votes from young men in the December presidential election.
Nam Yoon-insoon, a representative of the Korea Women's Associations United, said the ``men-oriented'' incentive system would harm women's increasing social role.
``Women's economic activities in the country account for 50 percent now, and about 30 percent of women are working in public posts,'' she said. ``I think the military incentive system will decrease the ratio to an extent.''
She cited the results of a simulation survey on Ko's incentive system conducted by the MND recently.
According to the survey based on the 2006 exam for level nine public officials, two additional points increases the ratio of successful male applicants from 32.9 percent to 44.1 percent, while the women's ratio decreases from 58.8 percent to 49.1 percent.
In the level seven examination, the men's ratio increases from 54.9 percent to 68.1 percent, while women's decreases from 31.4 percent to 21.4 percent.
``One or two points are very decisive in national exams. That's not small as argued by proponents of the incentive system,'' Nam said. ``The government should come up with other ways to support discharged soldiers.''
She proposed that men with military experience receive pension credits or expanded job educational opportunities during and after their service period.
Ko said he will seek to pass the revision in the regular session of the Assembly in September after a number of public hearings on the bill.