Page 270 - 2018 Defense White Paper

service, and the eff icient use of talented human resources.

| Separate Management of Military Service Compliance by People of Keen Public
Interest | In the ROK, the duty of military service is a sacred obligation that cannot be

replaced. Despite this special status, some high off icials’ and celebrities’ failure to comply with
this duty left the people feeling a sense of relative deprivation, and undermined the social value
of military service.

It is for this reason that the Military Service Act was amended for the separate management of
military service compliance by Grade 1 public off icials and their children starting in June 2016.
On September 22, 2017, the scope of the separate management was expanded to include Grade

4 public off icials or higher and their children, athletes, entertainers, and high-income earners
and their children. The Military Manpower Administration separately keeps and manages their
military service compliance records of these groups of social interest until they complete their
compulsory military services.

Through the separate management of military service compliance, the MND will ensure the
transparent management of compliance by the relevant groups, prevent illegal evasion, and

establish a fair and transparent military service culture.

| Prior Disclosure of Military Service Records for Confirmation Hearings | Ever
since the introduction of the service record disclosure system in 1999, public candidates 28) who

require the National Assembly’s consent or appointment were required to report their military
service records to the National Assembly for subsequent disclosure. However, based on the need
for in-advance verification of public off icial candidates such as Cabinet member candidates

and the need to satisfy the people’s right to know, Cabinet member candidates are also required
to report and disclose their military service records upon the submission of the conf irmation
hearing requests to the National Assembly as of May 29, 2018. This requirement is expected to

foster and spread voluntary compliance with military duty.

28) Public candidates requiring National Assembly’s consent: Candidates for Prime Minister, Chairman of Board
of Audit and Inspection, Chief Justice of Constitutional Court, Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Supreme Court
Justices
Public candidates requiring National Assembly’s appointment: Candidates for Constitutional Court Justices (3),
National Election Commission Members (3)

268 Chapter 6 Instilling a High-Morale Military Culture Trusted by the People