Despite Minister's Special Order, Military Incidents Continue... President Lee Also Calls for "Prevention of Recurrence"

Accidents Occur in Both Army and Air Force in a Single Day
Minister Ahn Convenes Emergency Meeting, Yet Incidents Continue
President Lee Orders "Measures to Prevent Recurrence"

Yonhap News Agency

Incidents and accidents have been occurring one after another in the military. Multiple safety accidents have taken place less than five days after the Minister of National Defense personally convened a major commanders' meeting and ordered a full-scale effort to restore military discipline. President Lee Jaemyung has called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the accidents and the establishment of measures to prevent recurrence.

According to the Air Force on September 11, the previous day at an Air Force unit in Seogwipo, Jeju, a practice landmine detonator exploded during a reservist training exercise. The accident left a total of seven people-six reservists and one instructor (a non-commissioned officer)-with minor injuries such as abrasions and tinnitus.

The unit believes the accident was caused by the explosion of a practice detonator measuring 6 centimeters in length and 6.5 millimeters in diameter. An Air Force official stated, "No abnormal findings were detected in the ENT or orthopedic examinations of the injured," adding, "We are currently investigating the exact circumstances of the incident."

Coincidentally, at 3:24 p.m. on the same day, an accident occurred at a corps-level artillery unit in Jeokseong-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, when a sound effect simulation shell exploded for unknown reasons during a non-firing K9 self-propelled howitzer training exercise. Ten soldiers (five enlisted personnel and five non-commissioned officers) suffered burns and other injuries to their arms and thighs.

In addition, various incidents and accidents have been occurring frequently in the military. In March, there was an Air Force KF-16 friendly fire accident and a collision between the Army’s Heron drone and Surion helicopter. In June, an Air Force fighter jet veered off course during guidance in Alaska, and in August, an Air Force transport aircraft entered the Japanese Air Defense Identification Zone (JADIZ) without approval. Furthermore, on September 2, there was a fatal shooting incident involving a captain at an Army unit.

On September 5, Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyubaek personally convened a major commanders' meeting to receive reports on accident prevention measures and efforts to restore discipline. However, just three days later, on September 8, a staff sergeant was found dead in the single-person quarters of an Army communications unit in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Then, five days later, accidents occurred again in both the Army and Air Force. Both inside and outside the military, there is growing concern that discipline has seriously deteriorated.

President Lee also directly addressed the recent accidents, calling for measures to prevent recurrence. On his Facebook page, President Lee stated, "The military authorities must thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the accidents, identify the causes, and establish measures to ensure such incidents never happen again," adding, "The government will also do its utmost to prevent recurrence and ensure safety."