The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) conveyed to the National Assembly speaker that, regarding the pending amendments to the laws on establishing service academies and the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy, it would be desirable to deliberate on raising the upper age limit for admission to the academies to "under 25."
According to the NHRC on the 15th, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Nursing academies currently limit the admission age in principle to "at least 17 and under 21." Only discharged service members are granted a partial relaxation of the upper age limit as an exception.
In the National Assembly, two amendment bills have been introduced to raise the upper age limit for admission to the service academies from 21 to 23.
The NHRC determined that restricting the upper age limit for admission to the academies to under 21 limits the right of citizens aged 21 and older to hold public office. The commission's position is that it is difficult to conclude that the qualities and abilities required of officers are necessarily determined by age, and that even if the upper age limit is expanded, it is hard to see a significant impediment to achieving those objectives.
The NHRC also viewed that, since the academies conduct admissions that include physical fitness tests, there is no reasonable basis for restricting eligibility by age. However, in consideration of the fact that the maximum age for appointment as second lieutenant under the Military Personnel Management Act is 29, it expressed the opinion to raise the upper admission age limit to under 25.
"Expanding the upper age limit for admission to the service academies can protect the right of citizens aged 21 and older who wish to enter the academies to hold public office, and help secure talent with diverse experience and capabilities," the NHRC said. "The National Assembly needs to swiftly process the amendments in line with this intent."