3) Discussions on Improving the System to Protect the Diversity and Human Rights in the Military A) Issues of Protecting the Minorities and Improving the System to Protect the Human Rights in the Military According to the Military Service Act, all male Korean citizens are obligated to serve in the military, regardless of race, skin color, religion, gender identity, or educational background. As of 2020, the proportion of female soldiers in Korea is approx. 7.4%, and the ratio is expected to continue to increase in the future. As the diversity of individual identities and cultural backgrounds400) that make up Korean society has increased, the military is also composed of people from diverse backgrounds and identities. Even among the people serving in the military, there are minorities from diverse backgrounds, such as vegetarians, sexual minorities, women, and those who grew up in a multi-cultural background.401) However, various questions are raised as to whether the military has a structure that is appropriate for the social minorities to serve and whether it has a system that can prevent violations of their human rights. According to the NHRCK’s 2020 ‘Survey on the Status of Hatreds and Discrimination Against Transgenders,’ 31 (29.5%) out of 105 participants who are or have completed military service were classified as soldiers under attention based on their transgender identity. In addition, 13(12.4%) experienced sexual harassment or violence or were transferred to non-adaptive institutions, such as Vision Camp, and 10 (9.5%) responded that they experienced discrimination during work performance or assignment. Regarding the vegetarian option, the Ministry of National Defense revised the relevant guidelines in 2021 to allow alternative meals to be provided to vegetarians or people with religious reasons. This is a welcoming decision to protect the human rights of minorities, but only the regulations have changed. Due to lack of post-evaluation and follow-up measures 400) The definition of diversity in human resources can be interpreted in various ways depending on the perception of the components of diversity. A concept that includes difficult-to-identify attributes such as demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and race, socioeconomic background, gender identity, and religion and belief will be discussed below. 401) In terms of cultural diversity, for example, the Ministry of National Defense expects an average of 2,500 children from multicultural families to enlist in the army in line with the increase in multicultural families in Korean society. As of 2019, approx. 3,000 soldiers from multicultural backgrounds are in service, and it is estimated that approx. 5,000 soldiers will be drafted in 2022, and an average of approx. 8,000 people will be drafted from 2028 to 2032. 170