"Hope Military Service Becomes a Desired Goal Through Improved Treatment"
A military officer exposed the poor conditions of the barracks where water was dripping from the ceiling and expressed his apologies to his family.
On the 29th, a story from Army officer A was posted on the Facebook page "Delivered on behalf of the Army Training Center" (YukDaeJeon). Officer A said, "I felt really, really sorry to my family," and confessed, "I wondered why I became a soldier like this. I was so ashamed of my job, which receives such treatment and is looked down upon by civilians as if we were pitiful people."
Officer A shared a video showing towels and pots placed on the floor to catch water dripping from the ceiling. He said, "My wife cried, asking how she could raise a child in a place like this, and that image is still deeply engraved in my heart, filling me with regret."
According to Officer A, the unit requested repairs, but the construction was not carried out for three years due to the reason that "there are more urgent accommodations." It is known that the repairs only began this year. YukDaeJeon emphasized, "We hope that the service conditions and treatment of junior and mid-level officers will be improved as soon as possible so that military service becomes rewarding, proud, and a subject of admiration."
On the 28th, YukDaeJeon also released photos showing ceilings covered with mold in the dormitories of the Korea Military Academy (Hwarang Hall) and the Army Intelligence School.
Army officer B, who submitted the photos, pointed out, "Even considering that this summer was particularly hot and rainy, the fact that 30-year-old dilapidated and outdated facilities at the Korea Military Academy are still in use itself indicates that the state does not pay much attention to living conditions and improvements." He added, "The facilities at the Intelligence School are in a similar condition."
He said, "Even when the air conditioner is on, the humidity does not go away," and added, "When new trainees arrive, they are asked to understand that 'the training conditions are inadequate,' and officers who have to live there for weeks or months reluctantly clean and endure the situation."
Furthermore, he appealed, "As Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun mentioned in his inauguration speech, the improvement of service conditions and treatment for junior and mid-level officers is urgently needed," and urged, "Please help so that this is felt not just in words but in reality."
In response, the Army stated, "We will do our best to create convenient and pleasant living environments to ensure the happy living conditions of officers who silently dedicate themselves to the sacred national defense."
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