Disagreement Among Ruling Party Leadership Candidates Over 'Female Military Training'... Yoon Sang-hyun Calls It "Unrealistic Proposal"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Yoon Sang-hyun, considered another frontrunner for the ruling party leadership, has directly criticized the issue of "mandatory basic military training for women," first raised by Kim Ki-hyun, a lawmaker and one of the next ruling party leadership candidates, calling it an "unrealistic proposal without social consensus or public agreement."

On the 18th, Yoon stated through his social network service (SNS) that mandatory basic military training for women "will only amplify social conflicts regarding military service issues."

He said, "The current debate on gender equality due to the mandatory military service system should be resolved on a different level, not by enforcing military service obligations on women," adding, "Considering a 'social contribution bonus system' for women’s participation in social service facilities or other public interest programs, including men’s military service obligations, could be one way to address inequality."

He also noted, "The issue of military training for women must take into account the current realities, such as the conditions of military education facilities, which make immediate implementation difficult," and emphasized, "Above all, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the increasing security instability surrounding the Korean Peninsula, including the North Korean nuclear threat, gender equality issues related to military service obligations, and the situations and environments faced by Korean women regarding marriage, childbirth, and childcare, while gathering public opinion."

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