[GLOBAL ECONOMIC TIMES]  Although the proportion of female soldiers exceeded 10% for the first time in history, sexual harassment and violence crimes are increasing due to the still male-centered and closed military culture, and the number of female soldiers wishing to be discharged has increased. It is pointed out that measures to improve the treatment of female soldiers are urgently needed.

According to the analysis of data submitted by the Ministry of National Defense by Hwang Hee, a member of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, the proportion of female soldiers was 10.9% as of October this year. It was calculated that a total of 19,200 female soldiers are serving in the military, including 7,700 female military officers and 11,500 female non-commissioned officers. It turned out that there are about 12,400 female soldiers in the Army, 3,300 in the Air Force, 2,700 in the Navy, and 800 in the Marine Corps.

Previously, the Ministry of National Defense set a goal of expanding the proportion of female soldiers among officers and non-commissioned officers in our military to 15.3% by 2027. However, despite the expansion of the female military, female soldiers are leaving the military for unstable jobs due to the male-centered and closed military organizational culture. Promotion is difficult, sexual harassment and violence still persist, and as a result, the number of female soldiers leaving the military is increasing.

For female soldiers, promotion to general is a difficult reality, like picking a star in the sky. From 2015 to 2023, a total of 714 general officers were promoted from the rank of colonel to brigadier general, of which only 14 (1.9%) were female, and only two were promoted from brigadier general to major general. As of October this year, other than four female generals in the Army, there are no female generals in the Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps.

Sexual crimes against female soldiers are also rapidly increasing every year. Over the past five years, 1,730 cases of sexual harassment and 915 cases of sexual violence against female soldiers have been reported. In particular, sexual violence crimes such as rape and forced molestation are also increasing: 77 cases in 2020, 212 cases in 2021, 263 cases in 2022, and 247 cases in 2023. There have been 13 female military suicides in the past five years (6 in the Army, 3 in the Navy, and 4 in the Air Force).

While the military is unstable for female soldiers, the number of female soldiers' desired military service is increasing every year. The number of female soldiers in hopeful discharge has reached 842 over the past five years. The number increased from 108 in 2019 to 116 in 2020, 112 in 2021, 158 in 2022, and 180 in 2023, and 168 people were discharged as of September this year.

The welfare system and support for female soldiers are also lacking. The health (menstrual) leave use rate among female soldiers was only 1 in 10 female soldiers (10.3% as of 2023), and the parental leave use rate was only 6.5%.

Support for pregnancy and childbirth is also lacking. To support work-family balance, the Ministry of National Defense supports female military obstetrics and gynecology expenses, restrictions on on-call/night work, infertility treatment leave/infertility leave, child care leave, and child care leave, but it does not even know who is eligible.

Rep. Hwang Hee said, “The expansion of female soldiers in the military is not only a matter of relieving troop shortages or gender equality, but has become a necessity rather than an option in accordance with the changed security environment and the needs of the times.” He added, “An army where female soldiers are happy, improved treatment of female soldiers, and improved service satisfaction.” “We need to quickly prepare measures for this,” he emphasized.

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