19,000 Female Applicants Surge... Allegations of Exclusion from Outdoor Field Training

[2026 National Audit] Surge in female applicants for KMA, ROTC, and Officer Candidate School
Proposal to introduce pilot female enlisted service; Army says "will review"
Chun Ha-ram: "Female officers and civilian employees remain, only men sent to outdoor field training"
Army Chief of Staff: "Will report on the circumstances of the initial organization and subsequent changes"
[Edaily Reporter Kim Kwan-yong] It has been revealed that as many as 19,000 women applied for officer and non-commissioned officer (NCO) training programs last year. Despite low recruitment numbers for some male NCO positions, female military applications are showing high competition rates. However, allegations that some Army units excluded female officers and female civilian employees from outdoor field training have brought the actual utilization of female personnel in the military under scrutiny.
Rep. Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party stated during the National Assembly Defense Committee's audit at Army Headquarters on the 19th that he received a report that the Logistics Support Battalion of the Capital Mechanized Infantry Division organized the Hoguk Training starting this week to leave female officers and female civilian employees in the base, deploying only male soldiers and male civilian employees to the outdoor field training.
Rep. Chun pointed out, “I received a report that female officers and female civilian employees are not being organized for outdoor training, while only male officers and male civilian employees are being sent to outdoor field training. To verify the facts, I requested training organization orders and gender-based personnel status, but I only received materials that do not allow for the verification of the actual organization details.”
In particular, he also revealed an additional report that the unit belatedly changed its training organization after the lawmaker's office requested data. He subsequently demanded the disclosure of the initial training organization details, the history of changes, and the reasons for those changes.
Rep. Chun emphasized, “I even received a report that the training organization was hurriedly changed to include female officers only after the lawmaker's office requested the data. Excluding female officers and female civilian employees by assigning them only to stay-behind units, thereby removing them from actual field training, is an issue directly linked to the morale and honor of female service members.”
Army Chief of Staff Kim Kyu-ha is giving a business report during the National Assembly Defense Committee's audit of the Army Headquarters and other agencies held at Gyeryongdae in Gyeryong-si, Chungnam, on the 19th. (Photo=Yonhap News)
In response, Defense Committee Chairman Jin Sung-joon said, “The core issue is why female soldiers were initially excluded from outdoor field training and whether there was a justifiable reason. It is important to answer honestly what the military's initial judgment was and, if it was changed later, why it was changed.”
Army Chief of Staff Kim Kyu-ha replied, “It seems there were certain reasons when the division commander took action. I will report honestly and accurately, including those aspects.” When Chairman Jin requested a public explanation to the entire Defense Committee, Gen. Kim accepted the request.
During the audit, arguments were also made that since the number of female officer applicants is increasing significantly, the military should consider expanding options to include female enlisted service.
According to data released by Rep. Chun, the number of female applicants for the Korea Military Academy in 2025 was 3,500, far exceeding the required quota of 40. For the Korea Army Academy at Yeongcheon, 240 applied for 130 spots; for ROTC, 5,800 applied for 860 spots; and for Officer Candidate School (OCS), 3,280 applied for 280 spots.
Female NCO applicants also reached 3,300 for a required quota of 1,900. The Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy also saw 2,900 applicants for a quota of 80 in the 2025 recruitment for the 2026 academic year. Combined, these programs account for approximately 19,000 female applicants.
In particular, OCS applicants have increased sharply recently. The numbers rose from 370 in 2022, 350 in 2023, and 570 in 2024 to 3,280 last year. ROTC applicants also increased from 1,200 in 2023 to 5,800 in 2025.
(Source=Office of Rep. Chun Ha-ram)
Rep. Chun suggested, “A very large number of women are currently knocking on the door to join the military. While what they desire and serving as enlisted personnel may be different, in a situation where troop management is not simple, it is necessary to consider allowing women who wish to serve to do so as part of a pilot project.”
He then mentioned the cases of mixed-gender unit operations in countries implementing gender-neutral conscription, such as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and called for the preparation of unit organization and dormitory management plans based on the introduction of female soldiers. Rep. Chun pointed out, “Even if we want to have a social discussion, there must be a vision for how it would be operated if gender-neutral conscription were implemented. We have been sitting idly for decades just saying that social consensus is needed.”
To this, Gen. Kim replied, “The Army has not specifically reviewed this so far, but since the missions performed by soldiers vary and there are physical differences, we must examine those aspects.”
However, Gen. Kim explained that “it is not appropriate to categorically state that there are missions that women specifically cannot perform.” Regarding the proposal for a pilot female enlisted service program, he stated, “Currently, we have been focusing on expanding the quota for female officers and NCOs. I will look into the matter you mentioned.”