In conscription countries like Korea, issues related to sexual minorities, including homosexuality, remain challenging social problems intertwined with sexual violence within the military. Photo by Asia Economy DB
[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] The government has issued guidelines instructing public institutions not to include military service periods as eligibility criteria for employee promotion evaluations. This is due to concerns over violations of gender discrimination prohibition regulations and the possibility of overlapping benefits.
According to the government and multiple public institutions on the 24th, the Ministry of Economy and Finance recently sent an official letter stating, "Do not include military service periods as eligibility for employee promotion evaluations." This applies to all public institutions, including public enterprises and quasi-governmental agencies.
The Ministry clarified that it is not asking to abolish reasonable preferential treatment for military veterans tailored to the characteristics of each institution, but explained that there are legal violations and potential overlapping benefits.
Regarding this, the Ministry of Economy and Finance explained, "If the seniority including military service is used as a basis for determining promotion eligibility in public institutions, it may violate the Act on Gender Equality in Employment and Work-Family Balance Support. Therefore, we requested each institution to review related regulations and make necessary adjustments."
The Ministry also viewed that since military service periods are already reflected in wage determination, recognizing the same period as length of service during promotion evaluations could lead to overlapping benefits.
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