[Exclusive] Only 35% of Major Party Candidates Completed Military Service as Corporal... More Sons Exempted in Democratic Party

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Among the Democratic Party and the United Future Party's district candidates, only about 3 out of 10 were discharged as sergeants. The Democratic Party had more cases where sons were exempted from military service.

On the 2nd, an analysis of the military service status of 221 male Democratic Party candidates registered with the National Election Commission showed that 77, or 34.8%, were discharged as sergeants. The United Future Party also had only 76 out of 211, or 36.0%.

Lee Nak-yeon, chairman of the Democratic Party's COVID-19 National Crisis Response Committee, served in the army's 31st Division and the US 8th Army and was discharged as a sergeant after completing his service. Lee In-young, the floor leader, was exempted due to imprisonment related to the democratization movement. Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, did not serve in the military due to chronic urticaria, a skin disease, and Shim Jae-chul, the floor leader, served in the army's 31st and 35th Divisions and was discharged as a sergeant after completing his service.

Many had completed military service but were short-term soldiers. The number of candidates discharged as corporals was much higher in the Democratic Party with 32 compared to 18 in the United Future Party, while those discharged as privates first class were more in the United Future Party (14) than in the Democratic Party (9). The number discharged as privates was similar, with 17 in the Democratic Party and 16 in the United Future Party.

The United Future Party had a majority of 39 who served as second, first, or captain officers, compared to 21 in the Democratic Party. These cases were mostly legal officers or military doctors.

Separately, the so-called "Master's Degree Officer" special professional agent second lieutenant discharge included 3 in the Democratic Party and 8 in the United Future Party. This system, introduced during the Chun Doo-hwan administration and abolished under the Roh Tae-woo administration, selected applicants with master's degrees through exams and recognized military service after six months of training.

Among the sons of general election candidates, 114 in the Democratic Party and 95 in the United Future Party were discharged as sergeants. In Daegu Jung-gu and Nam-gu, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-yong and United Future Party candidate Kwak Sang-do were discharged as army first lieutenants, serving as military dentists and legal officers respectively, and both candidates' eldest sons were discharged as sergeants after completing service in the Marine Corps, drawing attention. Additionally, the sons of Democratic Party candidates Lee Heon-tae and Jo Eung-cheon, and United Future Party candidates Lee Young-gyu, Song Seok-jun, Choi Hyun-ho (eldest and second sons), and Yoon Han-heung were discharged as sergeants in the Marine Corps.

The number of sons exempted or classified as wartime labor service, which is only called up during wartime, was much higher in the Democratic Party with 17 compared to 6 in the United Future Party. There were also a considerable number of sons who served as privates after working in research institutes or industries: 18 in the Democratic Party and 15 in the United Future Party. Social service agents serving in public institutions or social welfare organizations as level 4 supplementary service were 6 and 7 respectively.