Human Rights Commission: "Military Academy Admission Age Limit Should Be Raised from 21 to 25"

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has submitted its opinion to the National Assembly, recommending that the upper age limit for admission to military academies be raised from under 21 to under 25.

On the 4th of last month, new officers took their commissioning oath at the graduation and commissioning ceremony of the 66th class of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy. This is unrelated to the article. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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On April 15, the Human Rights Commission announced that it had expressed to the Speaker of the National Assembly its view that the upper age limit for admission should be promptly increased to under 25, in relation to the pending "Partial Amendment to the Military Academy Establishment Act" and similar bills currently before the National Assembly. The amendment currently under discussion would relax the age cap to under 23.

Under the current system, applicants to the Korea Military Academy, Korea Naval Academy, Korea Air Force Academy, and Armed Forces Nursing Academy are, in principle, restricted to those aged 17 or older but under 21, with limited exceptions for discharged military personnel. The Human Rights Commission noted that such an age restriction could infringe upon the right of citizens aged 21 or older to hold public office. While the goal of securing younger talent to maintain military combat readiness is valid, the Commission argued that an individual's qualifications as an officer are not necessarily determined by age.

The Commission also stated that, since military academies evaluate applicants using a variety of criteria, including physical fitness tests and academic achievement, it is difficult to argue that setting the age limit at 21 would have a significant impact on national security or territorial defense. It pointed out that the policy’s effectiveness is unclear relative to the degree of restriction it places on fundamental rights. However, taking into account that the maximum commissioning age for second lieutenants under the Military Personnel Act is 29, the Commission concluded that setting the admission age limit at under 25 would be appropriate.

A representative of the Human Rights Commission stated, "Expanding the admission age will guarantee opportunities for citizens aged 21 and above to enter public service and help secure talent with diverse experiences and capabilities."

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