Large-Scale Training Despite COVID-19 and Heatwave

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Amid ongoing heatwaves causing a series of heat-related illness incidents at outdoor workplaces, the military is pressing ahead with outdoor training involving about 3,000 soldiers, raising concerns about safety accidents. The Ministry of National Defense directive restricts or suspends outdoor training when the temperature exceeds 31 degrees Celsius during the heatwave season.

The Army will conduct a four-day “Scientific Combat Training” from the 29th to the 1st of next month at the KCTC training center located in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, with about 3,000 soldiers participating. This training is conducted without designated training hours and assigns missions according to wartime situations. Soldiers engage in combat outdoors day and night until their missions are completed. They must wear “MILES equipment” that fires lasers instead of live ammunition, detectors that sense lasers fired by the enemy, bulletproof vests, combat vests, and gas masks.

According to the weather forecast as of the 1st, the highest temperature during the training period in the Hongcheon area is expected to reach 34 to 36 degrees Celsius. The Ministry of National Defense’s unit management directive requires shortening or adjusting outdoor military activity hours when the temperature exceeds 29.5 degrees Celsius during the heatwave season, and Article 81 of “Army Regulation 330” restricts and suspends outdoor training at 31 degrees Celsius, allowing only essential activities such as guard operations when the temperature exceeds 31 degrees Celsius.

The military did not provide a separate explanation for why it must press ahead with this scientific combat training despite violating regulations. The Army stated, “Commanders at all levels will directly check the training site and operate an additional safety control team,” adding, “Emergency treatment kits and calorie supplements are prepared to prevent safety accidents.”