There is someone who constantly challenges herself to excel in spite of having a current post that is already quite prestigious. The Pharos met Lee Do-yi, the head of the reserve forces at Kyonggi University, who became the first female regimental commander in Korea after passing a test that men struggle with. We wanted to find out what she has dreamed about doing and tried to be, and the weight and responsibility of her position as the commander of the reserve forces.

Please introduce yourself.

Hello, I’m Lee Do-yi, a colonel in the reserves. I have served as the regimental commander of the reserve forces at Kyonggi University since 2015. I joined the army in 1983 and served in the military for about 29 years until the end of 2012.

What made you dream of becoming a soldier?

I have a book that changed my total life. It is “The Qualifications of a Human” by Omigawa Junpei. This book made me think about subjects related to humanism, such as human agony, conflict, and love, which an ordinary office worker experienced as he was conscripted into the war effort against the backdrop of World War II. When I was a high school student, I was wondering about the nature of human beings and the value of humanism, and finally I found the answer in this book. It’s easy for anyone to lose their true nature in an extreme situation, but we can still see the noblest love, humanity, and human limitations in this book. Therefore, I had a vague dream of becoming a soldier and challenging my limits, and I thought I would have no other chance to do it. I wanted to use military life as an opportunity to train mature physically and mentally. However, unexpectedly, I adapted myself to the orderly and restrained military life, and it was fun. Also, I worked for nearly 30 years in the military service, being recognized by my superiors and being promoted faster than my colleagues.

Please explain in detail what the regimental commander does.

Every Korean man has an obligation to serve in the military, and once he has completed his mandatory military service, he has to serve as a reserve soldier for eight years. While serving as reserve soldiers, they must be trained. The commander of the reserve forces trains the students who have been to the army, and manages the reserve forces by keeping records of training results and notifying untrained students of supplementary training.

Did you have any difficulties becoming a regimental commander of the reserve forces? If so, how did you get over them?

To qualify to take the regimental commander test the person must have served in the military and must have held a particular rank. For example, if you were discharged as a major, you can apply to be a captain of the reserve forces. If you were discharged as a lieutenant colonel, you can apply to be a battalion commander, and if you were discharged as a colonel, you can apply to be a regimental commander. The selection of reserve commanders is organized by the Ministry of National Defense, and the competition is very fierce because there are many applicants and only a limited number of vacancies. Therefore, the preparation process for the exam was not easy and after three attempts, I became the first female reserve military commander in Korea and was able to come to Kyonggi University.

What do you think about the pros and cons of being a woman soldier?

There are some people who argue that “women weaken the fighting powe of the military,” but this idea is outdated. Unlike the battles of the past, which were fought with physical force, today’s battles are fought with state-of-the-art weapons that deliver with precision strikes and require intelligence to operate. Therefore, it is meaningless to distinguish between male and female service usefulness in general because they can display their skills in their own areas of expertise. Whether they are female or male, based on their own fields of education and training. Also, since there is no distinction between gender roles in society, why should it be the case in the military?

What do you think is the biggest problem in the military right now? Plus, how do you think we should address the development of the army?

I think the biggest problem right now is security insensitivity. Seventy years have passed since the Korean War ended in a truce. Of course, there have been major and small local wars, but as peace has been maintained without war for a long time, there are people who question the security crisis or the need for an army. But-However the military needs to be unified. Our main enemy is the North Korean threat confronting us, but the U.S. and Britain, which are not threatned by a main enemy, are maintaining their military presence. It is aimed at countering security threats, including terrorism, as well as neighboring countries. Therefore, every soldier in the army should serve in the military with a great sense of responsibility and understand that they are the main guardians of this country. I hope that the people who live in society, not just the military, will recognize this truth and support the army to maintain the security of the country.

What’s your goal in the future?

My goal as the military regimental commander of Kyonggi University is to fulfill my duty as a regimental commander so that we can have one of the best reserve forces in Korea. More than 95 percent of the required participants, have completed their training no accidents have occurred and, no complaints have been registered, so the sussess rate is quite high and it will continue to be so. Also, in terms of my personal goals, I want to get a doctorate in landscape architecture and become a writer, which was my childhood dream. To achieve this, I am writing my doctoral dissertation and uploading articles to my blog.

Please say something to the students of Kyonggi University

There will be no better time to run toward your dream than when you are in school. If you have a big dream and struggle to realize it, you can get closer to it. The difference between realizing your dream or not is whether you give up in the middle or stand up again and step forward. Dreams must come true. Don’t give up and live with your dreams in your heart until your dreams come true.

Through the interview, Lee Do-yi, the leader of the reserve forces, presented an enterprising image. It was great to see her demonstrate leadership as the first female reserve commander in a male-dominated group. The Pharos hopes her success will give courage and hope to students, and that they will cheer for the future of Lee Do-yi, who is not complacent and constantly dreaming of becoming a future doctor of landscape architecture.

                                   Management Editor•CHOI SOYEON•clara3003@naver.com

                                   74th Cub Reporter•KIM GANGTAEK•rkdxor753@naver.com