Cushy Military Service Postings for Sons of Top Officials Amounts to Corruption

Data handed by the Ministry of National Defense to Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Gyu-baek reveal that at least half of the sons of high-ranking government figures served or are currently serving military service in relatively comfortable posts of the military such as administration, intelligence, troop information and education, supplies and defense-related industries, at locations in or close to Seoul.The data provide confirmation of the general suspicion that the sons of those in the upper echelons in society conduct their military service in so-called "plum positions," with good working conditions and located close to their homes, in the metropolitan region.We cannot help but deplore the endemic lack of "noblesse oblige" in the highest ranks of Korean society.Cheong Wa Dae (the office of the president) is a typical example. The data contained the military service records of 11 sons of Cheong Wa Dae officials with the rank of senior presidential secretary or higher.No fewer than nine of these did or are doing military service in comfortable positions such as administration or intelligence.The same goes for the sons of ministers and vice-ministers in the current administration, with the only difference being one of extent. 15 of the 37 such individuals mentioned in the MND's data spent their military service in "plum positions." Three of the 11 sons of Cheong Wa Dae officials and 15 of the 37 sons of ministers and vice ministers served in or near Seoul.These figures are far higher than the average. There was no difference among Korea's past and present administrations. Based on the day of commencement of military service, the phenomenon of high-ranking officials' sons landing easy positions has continued from the Kim Young-sam administration to the present.According to the MND's "internal criteria on formation according to branch of the military and specialization," around 70% of enlisted men are allocated positions as combat troops, with 37.7% as infantrymen, 13.2% as artillerymen, 7.4% in signals, 5.7% as engineers and 3.8% in armored divisions.Some high-ranking figures may feel put out by the schematic nature of the MND data's categories of posting location and position.But it is hard for anyone to deny that the phenomenon whereby their sons occupy or previously occupied an incomparably higher proportion of postings in the metropolitan region or in cushy positions than those of most other people is abnormal.The inevitable conclusion is that such high-ranking figures wielded their influence in one way or another. Securing exemption through unjust means is not the only form of corruption when it comes to military service.Using high-ranking official positions to gain cushy positions for one's sons is also a type of corruption.Assuring fairness in military service is of paramount importance in a country with a draft system like that of Korea. The loss of such fairness creates disharmony in society, with the obvious result of weakening the nation's defensive capacity.In this sense, corruption involving military service must be tackled in order to prevent the chronic problem of high-ranking officials landing their sons cushy military positions.If it turns out to be true that the government has been specially managing or exerting influence upon the military service of the sons of high-ranking officials, we urge that severe reprimands be issued.It is also necessary to include the sons of other socially influential figures in the legislature, the judiciary, media and academia as subjects of monitoring when it comes to military service. (Editorial, The Kyunghyang Daily News. September 7, 2011)

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