Height No Longer a Problem for Would-Be Police Officers

Starting from 2007 at the latest, people who are short, underweight, or have flat feet will be able to become a police officer if they have strong athletic capability.

The National Police Agency (NPA) announced on October 27 its plan to revise the recruiting regulation by abolishing the current restrictions on physical conditions for applicants. The restrictions include a minimum height and weight of 1.67m and 57kg for men and 1.57m and 47kg for women. Flat feet aren’t allowed, either. Instead, the agency plans to strengthen the athletic performance test.

Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea made a recommendation this April to the head of the NPA to abolish the physical qualifications, concluding in a working rights study on NPA that the current restrictions carry physically discriminatory indications.

In response, the NPA asked the Korea Institute of Sport Science under the Seoul Olympic Sports Promotion Foundation to come up with a recruitment regulation revision and recently received the study report.

The report found the current physical qualifications to be lacking in evidence and said athletic performance tests are more important in selecting officers in the U.S. and Britain. The report suggested scrapping the restrictions.

For specific test areas, the report proposed tests that measure quick response and physical endurance, elements that are required in chasing and arresting criminals. The recommended tests were long distance running, gripping power and abdomen muscle power, sidestepping, 50m dash, and sit-ups.

needjung@donga.com