A daughter of the chief of South Korea’s No. 3 conglomerate SK Group was commissioned as a naval officer on Wednesday after successfully completing her training, the Navy said.

Chey Min-jung, the second daughter of convicted SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, was commissioned as a second lieutenant along with 107 fellow cadets after an 11-week training course, according to the Navy. The ceremony was held at the elite Navy Academy in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, some 398 kilometers south of Seoul.

The 23-year-old passed the exam to be a cadet in August and entered the academy the following month for her training program that involved basic physical and mental training, shooting and navigation.

Her choice of career as a professional military officer drew keen public attention, as she became the first woman from a conglomerate family to enlist in the military in a country where sons of the privileged are often criticized for dodging the mandatory military service.

In South Korea, all able-bodied young men are subject to compulsory military service for about two years. Women, on the other hand, are exempt from the duty, although they can volunteer.

“I am proud of myself for being born as a daughter of this country. I’ve gotten more confident while undergoing the training sessions,” Chey was quoted as saying by her family members and friends.

Chey, also a granddaughter of Roh Tae-woo, the general-turned-president who led the country from 1988 to 1993, applied to be an officer aboard a ship, which requires her to go through another three months of training, according to the Navy.

Her father sent her a letter to convey his congratulations and worries as a parent, sources said. The elder Chey has been serving a four-year prison term since being convicted of embezzlement last year. (Yonhap)