Child Soldiers Global Report 2004 - Korea (Republic of) (South Korea)
| Publisher | Child Soldiers International |
| Publication Date | 2004 |
| Cite as | Child Soldiers International, Child Soldiers Global Report 2004 - Korea (Republic of) (South Korea), 2004, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4988064d5.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Republic of Korea
Covers the period from April 2001 to March 2004.
Population: 47.4 million (11.7 million under 18)
Government armed forces: 686,000
Compulsory recruitment age: 19
Voluntary recruitment age: 17
Voting age: 20
Optional Protocol: signed 6 September 2000
Other treaties ratified (see glossary): CRC, GC AP I and II, ICC, ILO 138, ILO 182
The minimum voluntary recruitment age was 17. It was not known whether under-18s were serving in the armed forces.
Context
Improvements in links between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) continued. Aid to North Korea continued in the form of food and fertilizers and rail and road connections were established for the first time since the Korean war ended in 1953. Family reunions took place during 2002 and 2003 and groups from South Korea were able to visit North Korea for the first time. A revised Terrorism Prevention bill was under consideration by the National Assembly at the end of 2003. At least 56 prisoners were reportedly under sentence of death at the end of 2003, although no executions had been carried out since early 1998. About 800 conscientious objectors, mostly Jehovah's Witnesses, remained in prison in 2003 for refusal to perform military service.1
Government
National recruitment legislation and practice
The 1987 constitution states that "All citizens shall have the duty of national defence as prescribed by law.... No citizen shall be treated unfavourably on account of the fulfilment of his obligation of military service" (Article 39).2
In its report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2002, the government stated that "Korean men are liable for military service at the age of 19, after conscription screening under the Military Service Act (art. 11). However, a person aged 17 or over who voluntarily applies for military service may be enlisted (art. 20)".3 The Military Service Law of August 1958 provides the legal basis for compulsory military service, which lasts between 26 and 30 months.4
Military training and military schools
There are several military schools, including the Military Academy, Third Military Academy, Naval Academy and Air Force Academy. Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 22 for the Naval Academy, and 17 and 23 for the Air Force Academy.5 The minimum age of entry to the other institutions was unknown.
1 Amnesty International Reports, 2003 and 2004, http://web.amnesty.org/library/engindex.
2 Constitution, http://eng.assembly.go.kr/laws/constitution/index_02.html.
3 Second periodic report of the Republic of Korea to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, UN Doc. CRC/C/70/Add.14, 26 June 2002, http://www.ohchr.org.
4 B. Horeman and M. Stolwijk, Refusing to Bear Arms: A World Survey of Conscription and Conscientious Objection to Military Service, War Resisters International, London, 1998, http://www.wri-irg.org/co/rtba.
5 Naval Academy, http://www.navy.ac.kr; Air Force Academy, http://www.afa.ac.kr.
