'Suspicions Surround Jeju Trap Shooting Incident Injuring Two with One Shot'

Training 'Dobitan' Incident on Deck Difficult to Occur

Jeju Coast Guard "Accurate Cause of Accident Under Investigation"

Amid various suspicions arising from a shooting incident on a patrol vessel near Jeju, where two people were injured by a single bullet, controversy continues due to the lack of a clear explanation from the Jeju Coast Guard.

According to the Jeju Coast Guard on the 21st, a shooting accident occurred at 1:23 p.m. on the 19th aboard a patrol vessel approximately 52 km southwest of Chagwido, Jeju, resulting in two injuries.

The accident happened during the quarterly ship shooting training while conducting K5 pistol shooting practice. Immediately after the incident, the Jeju Coast Guard announced that the accidental discharge occurred during the inspection process when the firearm did not operate properly during training.

The injured sustained wounds to their hand and calf, respectively, and were urgently transported to the hospital by the Coast Guard helicopter. It is reported that their lives are not in danger.

However, the fact that two people were injured by a single bullet has raised many suspicions.

A long-serving reserve officer said, “It is difficult to make a judgment with limited information about the scene, but accidental discharges usually result in only one person being injured. The K5 pistol is a lightweight personal firearm, and misfired bullets are visible in the pistol chamber, so they can be easily removed. It is questionable how safety measures were implemented.”

Also, Mr. B, a former defense journalist, stated, “On ships, like during the Aden Bay operation, two people can be injured by ricochets when fired bullets bounce off walls.”

However, since this shooting training was conducted on the ship’s deck, where ricochets are unlikely to occur, the question of how two people were injured by a single bullet remains unresolved.

Whether the manual for handling misfires and firearm malfunctions was followed is also a key issue.

Since this was not an explosive misfire involving a charge and fuse but a misfire in a direct-fire weapon, specifically a small pistol, the occurrence of two injuries raises many questions about the Coast Guard’s safety awareness and the level of their training so far.

Meanwhile, a Jeju Coast Guard official said regarding the raised suspicions and detailed scene circumstances, “The two injured are colleagues, and the cause of the accident is currently under investigation,” adding, “We will make a judgment on the announcement of the accident results after the investigation.”

Jeju = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Changwon baekok@asiae.co.kr