Women Should Send Military Service.

       
       It has been 50 years since we broke out into two countries and aimed guns at each other. And due to this gloomy condition, Korean men have a duty of obligatory military service. Military service! But it's only a duty for men. Where do this -only men- thought come from? Most advanced countries, for example Germany, France, Switzerland, America and Israel, have chosen a military service system with men and women. Even if the government tries to except women out of military duty, women reject that suggestion. In this persuasive essay, I will talk about the “only men" question, why women should join military service and my opinions for rejection of a inclusive military service system.

       First of all, it is a violation of the constitution that only men have a duty for military service. The military service law Volume.1 law.3 says that Korean men have a military service duty and women who send in a written application can join military service. It means that all men have a duty and all women do not. However the constitution says that Korea is a democratic country of freedom and equality. But the highest and strongest military law gives an option to women and gives an order to men. Is this not a violation of the constitution? Today is a day of individualism, a day of equality and a day of competition between men and women. Women's rights are growing rapidly, and men's exclusive jobs are being opened to them. But they are excepted from military service because they are women. And men lose their 2 years time and are victimized because we are men. This is what we call "sexual discrimination". We have to fix and cross out this unreasonable and stone age style law which is judging military service duty by our sex. And let's build up more reasonable and equitable world.

       Next, it is useful for our divided country. In these days, the condition of both Koreas looks peaceful and almost unified. But our main enemy is still North Korea (아직까,p1). Their military population is 1,050,000. And to protect this number of enemies we need at least 650,000 soldiers (당분간, p2). To maintain this number, we need 320,000 new soldiers every year. But, because of the practice of birth control which began in the 1970’" we continually have a lack of soldiers. It is 300,500 in 2004 and it will be 290,000 in 2006, 280,000 in 2007 and finally in 2015 we will lose our self defence power (현재의, p4). For this problem, government has 5 alternative plans (이런한, p4). They are ultramodern weapons, good quality recruit soldiers, extending the period of service to 3 years, negotiating with North Korea and gender inclusive military service. The first 4 alternative plans are almost impossible. So the last plan is the most acceptable one. If this policy is allowed, woman soldiers can work in a support department -these departments are 50% of all military population- then we can save these parts’ male soldiers for combat zones like the DMZ (여자들 ,p3). In other cases, their delicacy works well in a medical facility or a radar base even better than a man's ability (보급. P3).

     
       I know about women's rejections of gender inclusive military service system. They say “we are physically weaker than men. How can we do that!" or "We don't do military service but, we bear children!"

       This is my opinion of the first disagreement. I agree that there is a physical difference between men and women. However, there are disabled men and physically weak men. Even though they are weaker than women, they take a physical examination for conscription like other men and then they can be legally exempted or allocated to a less hard place like a support department or a radar base. If women want to say we are weaker than men, why don't they take a physical examination for conscription and then they can be legally exemption or allocated like the other men. We have to join military service even though we are weaker than women. This is a kind of reverse discrimination against men.

       The other disagreement is for child birth. Remember this, child birth is your right and military service is your duty. You can choose whether to have a baby or not. Frankly, this is one of your personal rights for the pursuit of happiness. Do you insist on the contribution by having babies? Then could you tell me about the decrease of the birth rate?

       I don't insist on giving rifles to women and letting them keep a bunker in the DMZ. I just insist that we should share national duty and go forward with equality. And also in 2015 Korea needs women because of insufficient soldiers. When the military service law made, there were some stereotypes like a dichotomy. “Men are strong, outside worker who protect weak. Women are weak, inside worker who protected by men. But, now it is changed. We are all the same member of our society. Men agree that women are not people who are protected anymore. And women have to agree that if they want the right be equal, and then duty will be equal too. If you only welcome the rights and refuse your duty who can listen to women's opinions.