Conscripting of disabled persons for military service
Disability draft (also called draft of disabled persons) is the conscripting of disabled persons for military service, or a system that permits the conscription of disabled persons for military service.
Major subject to draft of disabled persons
Disability conscription is regardless of disability type. People with mild or minor disabilities, as well as invisible disabilities (mental disability etc.) are often subject to conscription for disabled people.
Cases
Below are listed known cases of the drafting of disabled persons.
- In Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War, more than 480 people with intellectual disabilities were conscripted.[1]
- In the United States during the Vietnam War, there was a disability draft by the project 100,000. There are cases in which drafted disabled person went AWOL 15 times.[2]
- in North Korea, The conscription physical examination has eased the criteria for military service suitability due to low height, and even short stature persons (mostly 140 to 150 centimeters. 142 centimeters,[3] 145 centimeters.[4] etc.) are conscripted. The criteria for exemption from conscription for short people were 138 centimeters or less, and there were times when the criteria for conscription exemption for short people were not applied.
- in South Korea;
- After the main culprit of the Yeoncheon medical unit beating death case [ko] was imprisoned in Military Correctional Institution, the main culprit assaulted the inmates. One of the victims of the assault was identified as intellectually disabled.
- The murderer, who committed a motiveless murder in Chilgok, Gyeongsangbuk-do(칠곡 묻지마 살인사건), was conscripted and served in the military 13 years before the murder case was committed after being judged to be suitable for active duty by a physical examination. However, he was said to have deserted the military because he was unable to adapt during his military service, and was discharged after being imprisoned for 8 months in a Military Correctional Institution. After that, it was known that he had an intellectual disability even before the physical examination.[5]
- There is a case in which a blind person with one eye invisible was disposed of as an subject to active duty conscription(Physical grade 1, which is considered completely healthy physically) in a physical examination.[6]
- Case where a visually impaired student attending a vision impairment special school was disposed of as an active duty conscription(Physical grade 1, which is considered completely healthy physically) in a physical examination.[7]
Influence
Disability draft is considered a violation of the human rights of the disabled and negatively affects the combat power of the military.
- Physical disability
- Mobility impairment: No movement is possible according to the movement of the unit personnel.
- Short stature(Generally, height less than 147 centimeters, Dwarfism): A problem similar to Mobility impairment.
- Cerebral palsy: In addition to problems similar to Mobility impairment and Short stature(Dwarfism), communication is not possible in a dull tone. As a result, it becomes a problem in the delivery and execution of the unit's orders.
- Visual impairment: Shooting and driving are impossible.
- Hearing loss: Difficulty in delivering orders, performing orders, and working on boundaries of units.
- Developmental Disability(Intellectual disability, Autism spectrum etc.): Although there are differences depending on the type and degree of disability, Can't stand the barracks life. Fail to identify allies or enemies. Pointing a gun at our troops and suddenly shouting to expose our troops' location.
