Page 312 - 2018 Defense White Paper

are still assigned to serve in noncombat positions at welfare centers.
Under the current regulations, a disciplinary committee requires over three officers, who outrank the
person, under scrutiny. As a four-star general is not outranked by anyone else in the military, a disciplinary
committee cannot be formed against one. The Committee for the Eradication of Deep-Rooted Evils in the
Military recommended amending the current regulations in this regard. The committee also proposed
operating education programs to prevent the recurrence of the wrongdoing and to foster an environment
where junior members can focus on their missions by establishing the criteria for appropriate sizes of official
residences.
The MND proposed an amendment to the Military Personnel Management Act that requires the Minister
of National Defense to appoint a four-star general in cases where a disciplinary committee or an appeal
committee cannot be formed due to the absence of a superior officer. The MND also transferred enlisted
servicemembers, who had been assigned to welfare centers, in excess of the prescribed quota, and
planned to substitute the remaining welfare center management personnel with civilian workers. In addition,
the MND amended service regulations to prevent personal use of servicemembers, published an abuse of
power casebook, operated education programs and, this year, established new criteria for appropriate sizes
of commanders’ residences.

| Eradicate Surveillance on Servicemembers and Civilians by the Defense Security Command
and Strengthen Human Rights Protection | The DSC has implemented internal guidelines banning

potentially illegal activities to focus on its rightful missions—security, counterintelligence, and prevention of
wrongdoings and corruption. However, the DSC has been repeatedly accused of outstepping their authority
to survey military members and civilians, for example, by looking into servicemembers’ private life or family
affairs after their work hours.
The Committee for the Eradication of Deep-Rooted Evils in the Military recommended discontinuing any
activity that violates human rights and commands authority and preventing human rights violations during an
investigation by removing unnecessary items from the security clearance form including those asking about
property ownership and acquaintances. In addition, the committee proposed instituting legal mechanisms
capable of eradicating civilian surveillance, expanding civilian positions at human rights protection centers
(committees), and strengthening human rights education for servicemembers.
The MND discontinued all activities unrelated with security, counterintelligence, and prevention of
wrongdoings and corruption as well as surveillance activities violating human rights and command authority
by amending the Security Clearance Guidelines and the Troop Code of Conduct. It also introduced institutional
mechanisms to reinforce human rights protection, including improved security clearance procedures and
more civilian positions at human rights protection centers.

310 Appendix