Page 278 - 2020 Defence White Paper

those with no high school diploma are provided with support for purchasing learning
materials and one-on-one learning instructors to obtain academic qualifications (a
pass in the GED test).
To help servicemembers acquire state-certified technical qualifications, the MND
offers biannual tests for 81 national technical qualification tests including the test
for industrial engineer information processing, and all-year-round tests for heavy
equipment (forklift and excavator) operator. Through these tests, around 18,000
servicemembers acquire national technical qualifications every year.

Financial Support for Since 2018, the MND has been implementing the
Self-Development self-development cost support system for enlisted
14)
servicemembers to finance part of the cost required
for self-development so as to guarantee the self-development conditions for
servicemembers. Each servicemember receives up to KRW 100,000 a year to cover
language and qualification examination fees and costs for purchasing learning
materials. As such, the MND will continue to expand related budgets to guarantee
the self-development conditions.

3. Advancing Residential Support Programs for Career Servicemembers

Guaranteeing a stable residential environment is a crucial element that affects
the mission execution capabilities and morale of career servicemembers. To this

end, under the Framework Act on Military Welfare, the MND supports career
servicemembers by providing official residences and officer’s quaters and lease
support for civilian houses, and is implementing various residential support
14) policies such as preferential supply of civilian houses to servicemembers to raise
The self-development
support system for the percentage of homeowners among career servicemembers. In April 2020 in
servicemembers began
in 2018 as a pilot project particular, the military residential policy division was established under the MND’s
(KRW 100 million budget,
annual support of KRW Military Installations Planning Bureau; thus laying the foundation for integrated
50,000 per individual,
50% co-payment), and and systematic development of military housing. To increase servicemembers’
its budget was expanded
to KRW 2 billion in 2019 satisfaction with housing and to create conditions that allow them to focus on their
(annual support of KRW
50,000 per individual, 50% duties, the MND plans to implement a wide variety of policies to minimize the
co-payment) and KRW
8 billion in 2020 (annual burden on the national defense budget while reasonably improving the poor living
support of KRW 100,000
per year, 20% co-payment). conditions of career servicemembers.

276 2020 Defense White Paper