Korean military to change ranking system in order to prevent bullying

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A representative from the military explained, "We are in the process of reducing the four rank system involving private, private first class, corporal, and sergeant to a three rank system with private first class, corporal, and sergeant." He continued, "The purpose is to reduce the amount of absurdities and violence in the barracks."

By reducing the number of ranks, it seems that the military hopes to remove the negative stigma associated with the lowest rank. As the military is getting rid of the private rank, it will instead grant new recruits who complete training school the title of private first class. These recruits will be assigned tasks appropriate to their new rank and will hopefully not be belittled for only being a private.

Netizen reaction has mostly been negative as many believe that the new change will not be very effective. Top comments include: "It's the superficial administration again� no doubt [an idea] from the heads of people who never went to the military," "Even when there was a private class there was camaraderie�. It's not the 4 class system that's the problem but these shitty, rotten-to-the-core people that are the problem�," and, "If you want to get rid of violence from the barracks, then quickly set your sexual molesters like that pervert division commander straight and starting from the executive leaders, renovate and fix that mentality that there's nothing you can do about [internal] military violence; this should be priority and an obvious measure."