Prospective Firefighters Who Sexually Harassed Female Colleagues in Group Chat Deemed 'Unsuitable for Graduation'

Final Qualification Decision for Candidates at Next Month's Appointment Review Committee
Next Exam Eligibility Maintained Even if Qualification is Lost

Male firefighter candidates affiliated with the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters who sexually objectified female trainees of the same cohort at the Central Fire Academy were deemed unqualified for graduation.

On the 22nd, the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters announced that at the new trainee graduation review committee held on the 19th, a majority of the 12 male trainees involved in the sexual objectification controversy were judged unfit to graduate.

Last December, while receiving training at the Central Fire Academy in Cheonan, Chungnam, they shared daily photos of female trainees of the same cohort in a KakaoTalk group chat and made several sexual remarks, including crude jokes. Upon anonymous reporting, the Central Fire Academy recognized the issue and, after legal consultation, imposed penalty points on them for violating the "New Firefighter Course Code of Conduct."

[Image source=Pixabay]

The exact number of the 12 trainees who were judged unqualified has not been disclosed. The fire authorities stated that since there is still an appointment review committee for the trainees deemed unfit to graduate, they cannot reveal specific details.

The fire authorities plan to decide on the disqualification of the trainees judged unfit to graduate at the appointment review committee scheduled for later this month. If disqualified, the trainees will completely lose their status as firefighter recruitment candidates. However, even if disqualified by the appointment review committee, they may still apply for the next firefighter recruitment exam.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.