Series of Firearm Incidents in Military... Yoo Yongwon Calls for Comprehensive Investigation into Firearm Management

Amid a recent series of firearm-related incidents in the military, there have been calls to prevent further accidents by conducting a comprehensive investigation into the management of firearms at military units and by thoroughly reviewing the management system for junior officers.

On the afternoon of September 2, Assemblyman Yoo Yongwon of the People Power Party raised this issue during a National Defense Committee plenary session at the National Assembly. He stated, "Within the past ten days, fatal firearm incidents involving junior officers have occurred consecutively at both front-line and rear-area units. To prevent further incidents, I believe a comprehensive investigation into firearm management across all Army units is necessary."

Earlier that day, the Army announced that at around 6:29 a.m., a captain from a certain unit was found by police in an unconscious state with an unexplained gunshot wound near Suseong Lake in Daegu. A K2 rifle was found next to the officer. It was reported that this officer was serving at a unit located in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province.

A similar firearm incident had previously occurred at a front-line division, where a sergeant died in a firearm accident at a Guard Post (GP) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). It was reported that the weapon involved was a K1 rifle, which is a personal firearm.

Assemblyman Yoo emphasized, "We must not take these fatal firearm incidents lightly." He continued, "As you can see on the screen, in the first half of this year, the number of non-commissioned officers and company-grade officers in the Armed Forces who applied for voluntary discharge reached a total of 2,460, which is about 2.5 times higher than in 2021. In addition, the number of mental health consultations at military medical institutions for these groups has also steadily increased every year since 2021. According to the Ministry of National Defense, both figures are unprecedented in the history of the military."

He added, "This phenomenon should not be seen as merely an individual issue, but rather as a structural crisis signal for the entire military organization. I am deeply concerned that the morale of junior officers is collapsing and that the accumulation of psychological and mental stress may be leading to recent extreme choices."

Assemblyman Yoo further stated, "To prevent such tragedies from recurring, the Ministry of National Defense must conduct a comprehensive review of the living conditions, work environment, and mental health management system for junior officers. If necessary, a special task force should be established to develop comprehensive countermeasures."