Watchdog opposes age limits on police, firefighter applicants

SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's human rights watchdog on Tuesday said the
police and firefighting agencies' ban on job seekers above 30-years-old is
tantamount to "age discrimination."
The National Human Rights Commission advised the National Police Agency and the
National Emergency Management Agency to abolish the age barrier in recruiting
officers and to allow applicants of all ages the opportunity to become police
officers or firefighters, as long as they are physically and mentally fit.
The committee made the recommendation after it had accepted petitions early this
year from job seekers arguing that the two agencies' age limit on applicants was
discriminatory.
It said that age is not a reliable indicator of strength, endurance or knowledge
while on duty, even though the jobs require extraordinary skills.
"Physical power differs widely according to every individual," the rights
watchdog said in a release. "Regardless of medical and social studies on the
relationship between physical strength and age, depriving people of the chance to
apply for the job on the basis of their age is unreasonable."
The commission also suggested that the two agencies come up with new and more
sophisticated criteria for selecting likely candidates.
The two groups responded by saying that given the risk factors involved in police
work and firefighting, younger and more energetic applicants are preferred.
"Fire fighters wear over 20kg of equipment while on duty and are exposed to high
risk and stress. They must be tough and strong," the fire agency said, refuting
the recommendation.
Early this year, the government lifted a similar age ban on the national
examination for junior government officials, complying with the watchdog's
recommendation in 2006.
brk@yna.co.kr
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