Naval, Air Force, and Armed Forces Nursing Academies Urged to Amend Unjust Restrictions on Off-Post Privileges
— NHRCK On-site Investigation Reveals Multiple Areas Requiring Improved Human Rights Situation —
□ On January 13, 2026, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (Chairperson: Ahn Chang-ho; hereinafter "NHRCK") recommended that the Commandants of the Naval, Air Force, and Armed Forces Nursing Academies amend internal regulations, including those concerning unjust restrictions on off-post outings and overnight stays.
□ Following an on-site investigation into the Korea Military Academy (Army) in 2024, the NHRCK received a series of similar complaints from other military academies. Recognizing the need for a comprehensive review of the human rights environment across all branches, the Commission initiated an "On-site Investigation for the Improvement of Human Rights at the Three Military Academies (Navy, Air Force, and Nursing)" on April 2, 2025.
□ The NHRCK conducted a survey of all cadets (1,750 individuals) and held in-depth interviews with 159 of them. The investigation identified several common areas requiring improvement across the three academies:
1. Unjust Restrictions: Linking off-post outings and overnight stay privileges to academic grades, English proficiency scores, and physical fitness results.
2. Abusive Discipline: Instances of verbal abuse during peer-to-peer guidance, unauthorized mass assemblies (unauthorized formations), and double punishments.
3. Privacy Violations: At the Air Force Academy, the installation of small observation windows (peep holes) on dormitory doors was found to infringe upon the privacy of cadets.
□ The Committee on Human Rights in Military of the NHRCK decided to issue the following recommendations to the Respondents (Commandants of the respective academies):
1. Reform Leave Regulations: Amend regulations to ensure that off-post outings and overnight privileges are not tethered to academic or physical performance.
2. Institutionalize Human Rights Education: Include human rights training in the mandatory annual curriculum to prevent discrimination and human rights violations, such as verbal abuse and insults among cadets.
3. Protect Privacy (Air Force Academy): Develop measures to prevent privacy infringements caused by the observation windows on dormitory doors.
□ Cadets at military academies exist in an environment where hierarchical relationships between seniors, juniors, and disciplinary officers persist for nearly their entire careers, making it exceptionally difficult to raise formal complaints regarding human rights issues. As the first comprehensive investigation covering the entire cadet population, the NHRCK expects these measures to contribute significantly to the advancement of human rights within military educational institutions.
