By Park Si-soo
Staff reporter
The opportunity to be a KATUSA is likely to be expanded from next year. KATUSA stands for Korean Augmentation to the United States Army. A KATUSA is a troop within the unit.
The Army announced Wednesday that it plans to accept scores of TOEFL, G-TELP and FLEX in its first screening process to draft new KATUSA from 2008.
Currently, only TOEIC and TEPS scores are acknowledged.
"We decided to accept scores of the five English tests in an effort to guarantee the right of equality of applicants," an Army official said.
G-TELP, General Tests of English Language Proficiency, is an English test, developed by American colleges in 1985.
FLEX, which stands for Foreign Language Examination, is a homegrown English test, developed by the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in 1999.
The Korean Army also plans to increase the minimum achievement for KATUSA application to 800 TOEIC points from the current 700.
The minimum guideline of a TOEIC score of 900, currently required to apply as an English specialized soldier, will be maintained.
Around 3,800 Korean males are serving their military service as KATUSAs, supporting the U.S. Army stationed on the peninsula.
The KATUSA program began in 1950 during the Korean War.