Jo Kyung-tae "Earning College Credits in the Military Requires Caution... Security Must Not Be Compromised"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] On the 1st, Jo Kyung-tae, a member of the People Power Party, reiterated his stance that e-learning courses in the military, which allow soldiers to take online university classes and earn credits, should be approached with caution, emphasizing that this is his personal opinion.

Jo, who serves as the co-chairman of the People Power Party's presidential election campaign committee, appeared on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" on the same day and said, "Regarding the idea of recognizing academic credits even while serving in the military, this is my personal opinion, but I believe we need to be a bit more cautious." He explained, "What I wanted to convey during the legislative subcommittee meeting was that we must not allow any negligence when it comes to national defense and security."

Jo also stated, "The reason we serve in the military is to fulfill the sacred duty of national defense," adding, "We serve to protect our country, our parents, and our siblings, so I believe there should be no leakage or compromise in that duty."

Earlier, on the 24th of last month, during the National Assembly's Education Committee legislative subcommittee meeting regarding military e-learning courses, Jo raised concerns, saying, "If some people earn credits in the military and that is treated as equivalent to university completion, what if students who take a leave of absence from university and serve in the military all demand that their credits be fully recognized during their two years of service? How would that be handled?" He pointed out, "The Ministry of National Defense should be responsible for educating and training young people in military education and training facilities. Treating this like a university or an educational institution could disrupt the military's original mission and discipline."

In response, Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, mentioned Jo's role as a co-chairman of Yoon's campaign team on social media and demanded, "We ask the Yoon campaign to officially clarify whether they truly oppose the expansion of military e-learning."

Meanwhile, regarding Lee's demand for a statement the previous day, Jo stated on social media, "You publicly questioned me, calling me a 'kkondae' (old-fashioned person) over my concerns and issues raised in the parliamentary standing committee about a system that allows soldiers to earn academic credits as if they were in school. Rather than this approach, I respectfully propose holding a formal public debate."