The South Korean Army said Thursday that overweight officers will be subject to disadvantages in promotions starting this year, as part of efforts to stress physical fitness and increase combat power.

Under the new system, all Army officers whose body mass index exceeds 30 will receive negative marks and the results will be reflected in screenings for promotions.

BMI is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his or her height in meters. A BMI greater than 30 is regarded as obese, according to the World Health Organization.

"The weight control system will act as a catalyst to boost motivation for ranking military soldiers to achieve their best physical fitness," said Ha Bum-man, a military officer in charge of health policy, adding that the screening will increase combat power.

Officers with BMIs over 30 are advised to attend obesity clinics at units for an eight-week program to improve their diet and exercise routines. (Yonhap)