Concerns Over Cheonghae Unit Audit as a 'Self-Audit for Face-Saving'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Ministry of National Defense has launched an audit into the COVID-19 cluster infection incident involving the Cheonghae Unit, but there are many doubts about whether the infection route and responsibility will be properly identified. In particular, since the Ministry of National Defense, which bears the greatest responsibility for this incident, is conducting a ‘self-audit,’ there is a possibility that it may turn into a face-saving audit.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 23rd, the Audit Office has deployed 10 personnel, including two investigators from the Ministry’s Investigation Headquarters, to examine various suspicions and determine whether related agencies responded appropriately. The audit targets include the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which is responsible for operational command and unit management, the Naval Operations Command, the Naval Headquarters, the Armed Forces Medical Command, and related departments of the Ministry of National Defense.

However, there is not a single infectious disease expert among the investigators and auditors. Those without expertise in infectious diseases are insufficient to judge whether the response to symptom onset patterns and timing was reasonable.

It seems unlikely that the infection route will be identified at all. Identifying the infection route is necessary to determine responsibility, such as negligence in prevention. The 34th Cheonghae Unit’s Munmu the Great-class ship called at a country adjacent to African waters for three nights and four days from June 28 to July 1. This was for loading military supplies. During this time, about 10 crew members went ashore to receive supplies and carry out quarantine work. On the 2nd, the day after the loading operation was completed, one crew member first reported cold symptoms. The military dispatched an epidemiologist on the 18th to identify the initial source of infection. However, no investigation was conducted as the local authorities refused to cooperate.

Within the military, criticism is also emerging that the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy, and other related agencies are busy shifting responsibility to one another. In particular, there is strong criticism that the 34th Cheonghae Unit, which was deployed without receiving vaccinations, should have been vaccinated belatedly. Responsibility for this is scattered among the Ministry of National Defense’s Health Policy Division and International Peace Cooperation Division, the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Overseas Deployment Division, and the Navy. However, it is known that each agency has presented different positions regarding plans for additional vaccinations.