By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Eight in 10 people agree with giving additional points to men who have fulfilled their mandatory military service when they take state-run exams to become civil servants, a poll showed Monday.
According to the survey conducted by the Ministry of Manpower Administration from April 21 to May 15, 80.3 percent of respondents said they support the incentive system, which women's groups have vehemently opposed.
The survey of 1,400 people ― 1,000 ordinary citizens, 300 men who are about to join the military and 100 others who were exempted from the conscription ― has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Among the ordinary citizens, those in their 40s and 50s are most supportive of the system, the poll said.
In 1999, the Constitutional Court ruled against the system, upholding a petition from an association of women's organizations. The court said the measure was ``too excessive'' and breaches the equal rights status of women and the disabled who are not obliged to serve in the military.
But consensus has built that the incentive system for discharged soldiers is necessary, and some conservative lawmakers have sought to revive the system.
An official of the Ministry of National Defense said, ``We've long reviewed practical measures to compensate men who spend a valuable part of their life for national defense and concluded that the incentive system is the best option,'' Hwang said. ``I believe the system will help improve camp culture and build a military in which all want to serve.''
A Grand National Party lawmaker last year proposed a bill aimed at having those who served in the military be able to receive up to two additional percentage points to their scores in exams to become civil servants or work at public firms.
Since the bill failed to be passed during the 17th National Assembly, however, it was automatically scrapped.
The bill recommended private companies use the system, but did not make it mandatory.
For example, if a man who served in active duty receives 50 points in an exam, he can get one additional point.
Before the court's ruling, all men who served in active military duty could get their scores boosted by 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.
Even if they failed an exam, they would continue to receive the additional points in future exams.
Under the proposed bill, however, men would be able to receive the additional scores only three times under a presidential decree.
In addition, only 20 percent of applicants in an exam will be allowed the additional points, he said.
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 obligated to under the conscription system.
For most South Korean young men, the country's two-year-long compulsory military service is an unavoidable source of disruption as they must suspend their studies in college or quit their jobs.