December 29, 2002

The South Korean navy is recruiting 30 female petty officers for sea service on combat vessels. The Marine Corps is recruiting ten staff sergeants for jobs in combat units. The government wants 3,300 women in the armed forces in 2003, 4,000 in 2004 and, ultimately, five percent of all (680,000) troops will be female. Small numbers of women have long served in the South Korean military.