Military Curfew Fallout Hits Here... Korea Military Academy Entrance Exam Popularity Plummets

'12·3 Martial Law Incident' Suspects Blamed on Military Academy Background
Difficulty Filling Spots at Military Academy Specialized Entrance Exam Academy

As the key suspects in the '12·3 Martial Law Incident' were revealed to be graduates of the Korea Military Academy, prospective students preparing for the academy entrance exam are reconsidering their career paths.

On the 22nd, News1 reported that specialized military academy prep institutes and other entrance exam academies are struggling to fill their military academy preparation classes. According to News1, a prep academy in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, tried to form a special class for military academy candidates among high school seniors retaking the college entrance exam since last month after the CSAT ended, but failed to fill even half the seats. Last year, they filled special classes for first- and second-year high school students, but this year, even the senior special class was under-enrolled.

Graduates are marching at the '75th Graduation and Commissioning Ceremony' held in 2019 at the Korea Military Academy in Nowon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Other academies are in similar situations. A math specialty academy in Daechi-dong is recruiting for a special winter class for prospective first- to third-year high school students aiming for the military academy, but is considering reducing the class size just before the class starts next week.

Students who had hoped to enter the military academy are also troubled. Jung Mo (18), a student retaking the exam living in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, told News1, "I was preparing for the Korea Military Academy exam, but now I plan to go to a regular university," adding, "The recent decline in preference was already worrying me, but the martial law incident became the trigger." A high school senior recently posted on an entrance exam community, "I have dreamed of becoming a soldier since middle school, but with the country in turmoil recently, I am considering changing my career path."

Both online and offline, derogatory expressions toward the Korea Military Academy have appeared. This is because the main suspects in the martial law incident?former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, and Army Special Warfare Command Commander Kwak Jong-geun?are all known to be Korea Military Academy graduates. On the official Korea Military Academy YouTube channel 'KuksaTV,' a video of a physical fitness competition posted two months ago received about 100 disparaging comments such as "School of Internal Rebellion," "A school aimed at training leaders of the rebel army," and "Your seniors proposed martial law."

Meanwhile, the competition rate for the first round of the Korea Military Academy exam held in July this year was 29.8 to 1, significantly lower than 44.1 to 1 in 2020. However, since the military academy entrance exam is held on a separate schedule from general universities, many of the applicants are not serious candidates. Many top students take the exam as practice before the CSAT without intending to actually enter the academy.