S. Korea looks to tackle race, ethnicity issues in military

(ATTN: UPDATES with official's name, further comments throughout)
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, which has traditionally taken pride in
its "ethnic homogeneity," is eyeing new measures to tackle multicultural and race
issues in the military, as a growing number of males from mixed-race families are
set to be drafted, defense officials said Thursday.
As part of the plan, slated to go into effect by July 1 at the latest, the
ministry plans to ask mixed-race males aged 16-18 whether they would like to join
the military together with men from similar backgrounds. This would allow them to
go through the five-week pre-service training together and end the compulsory
draft at the same time.
"We are working on comprehensive measures to prevent racial discrimination in the
military, a socially important issue," said Park Dong-woo, head of the defense
ministry's military service bureau. "Letting mixed-race males train together is
one good way of tackling the issue."
Pre-duty soldiers are permitted to train alongside their acquaintances under the
current system, but this is the first time the government has proposed setting up
an official provision concerning males from mixed-race families.
South Korea, which is technically still at war with communist North Korea as the
1950-53 war ended without a formal peace treaty, maintains a two-year
conscription system in which all able-bodied men over the age of 19 are required
to serve.
About 3,410 men from mixed-race backgrounds will be subject to physical
examinations for conscription from this year through 2012, according to ministry
data. Naturalized Koreans and North Korean defectors are also included in the
"multicultural servicemen" category, along with males born to mixed-race
families.
Previously only mixed-race males of Asian descent were conscripted for military
service. A new provision, approved by the parliament on Dec. 29, will allow males
from all backgrounds to join the military from January of 2011.
South Korea has traditionally had a low number of foreign residents and
mixed-race families, but began to see a surge in both in the 1990s as more South
Korean men, typically from rural areas, began seeking brides in Southeast Asia
and China.
The government has been promoting mixed-race marriages due to a shortage of young
Korean women in farming and fishing regions. Rapid industrialization saw many
young people here, especially females, leave their rural hometowns for the
cities.
Over 144,000 foreigners, mostly from China and Southeast Asia, came to live in
South Korea in 2008 after marrying Korean spouses, a 13.7 percent increase from
the previous year, according to recent government data.
With the surge in the number of mixed-race servicemen here, the defense ministry
said it will also set up various anti-discriminatory provisions over race and
skin-color, and seek to expand these measures for professional soldiers.
"Observing cases in other countries, including the United States and France, it
always works better for the majority to make efforts to understand and embrace
the minority," Park added. "We plan to review the measures once every six
months."
hayney@yna.co.kr
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