"'Not Our Unit's Photo...' Ministry of National Defense Faces Controversy Over False Explanation of 'Poor Meals' [Yang Nakgyu's Defence Club]"

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Claims have been raised that the Ministry of National Defense's response process to reports of substandard meals is false. The lunchbox photos released by the Ministry of National Defense to address substandard meals at a subordinate unit of Gyeryongdae are said not to be photos of that unit.

According to the Facebook community ‘Delivering on behalf of the Army Training Center’ on the 17th, a claim was made that substandard meals such as "rice, stir-fried kimchi, and squid soup without solids" were provided during breakfast on the 14th at a subordinate unit of Gyeryongdae.

In response, the Ministry of National Defense’s Power Resource Management Office posted three photos of meals provided to isolated soldiers belonging to a battalion managed by the Gyeryongdae Support Group, a direct unit of the Ministry of National Defense, on the 16th under the title ‘Notice from the Ministry of National Defense’.

In the statement, it was also stated, "As of now, among the seven units directly managed by the Gyeryongdae Support Group, there are a total of eight isolated soldiers in three battalions (Management Battalion, Transport Battalion, Military Police Battalion). After reviewing the photos taken by officers for inspection before distribution, it is judged that all menus were provided normally."

The lunchbox photos posted by the Ministry of National Defense show three side dishes including kimchi and eggs along with rice, 250 ml of milk, and soup served in a separate container.

However, on the 17th, another post was uploaded on the Facebook community ‘Delivering on behalf of the Army Training Center’. The post claimed, "Currently, there are 27 personnel who returned on the 13th in the 00 Battalion, and while the photos released by the Ministry of National Defense show cabbage kimchi, the informant received stir-fried kimchi." It also criticized, "Using photos that do not match the unit’s menu to explain the situation is an act of mocking the public," and pointed out that "they are going around the barracks to identify the informant."

Regarding this, a Ministry of National Defense official said, "We are currently checking meals for other units of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, not the direct units of the Gyeryongdae Support Group," and added, "If necessary based on the results, responsibility for substandard meals will be held."

Some argue that even if the photos released by the Ministry of National Defense show a ‘normal’ meal, the response method does not meet the general public’s expectations and only fuels unnecessary public outrage.

After the Ministry of National Defense posted its position, within less than a day, over 400 comments from netizens followed, including remarks such as "Is this really a normal lunchbox?", "The normal menu doesn’t seem proper either," and "If the inspected photos look like that, it’s an even bigger problem."