[New Word Dictionary] Meongcheong Cost - Expenses That Could Have Been Avoided

Stupid costs refer to expenses that could have been avoided with just a little attention. Graphic by PD Lee Kyung-do

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] On July 7, 1937, during the height of World War II, dozens of gunshots rang out between Chinese and Japanese troops stationed near Lugouqiao (Marco Polo Bridge) near Beijing. When gunfire erupted on the Chinese territory bridge, the Chinese army immediately launched an investigation into the Japanese troops’ unilateral exercises without consent. The Japanese army also decided to withdraw and soon conducted a roll call. However, at that moment, one scout went missing, and the captain of the unit mistakenly reported to superiors that the soldier was missing due to a Chinese attack. The regimental commander at the time, Mutaguchi Renya, ordered negotiations with the Chinese army first instead of locating the scout. Meanwhile, the scout, who had safely (?) returned after relieving himself 20 minutes after the roll call, was searched for in a bizarre scene. The unit captain, despite confirming the soldier’s return, hid this fact from superiors, claiming he could not report it for the sake of honor. Unaware of this, regimental commander Mutaguchi Renya ordered an attack on the Chinese army. This was the prelude to the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The term “stupid cost” refers to expenses that could have been avoided with just a little caution. It is used to describe situations like missing a reserved train because of being late while eating or buying a product at full price after a discount period has ended. The Lugouqiao Incident, which triggered the Second Sino-Japanese War by ordering an attack on the Chinese army instead of locating the missing soldier, can also be considered a stupid cost. Mutaguchi Renya later appeared in the Imphal Operation near the Burma-India border. He led three divisions that had to move on foot through the jungle to defeat by giving the absurd order to “supply only with what is seized from the enemy” instead of securing supply routes. While capturing enemy supplies and using them advantageously is a standard military tactic, it is insufficient for regular troops numbering three divisions. Even within the Japanese army, concerns about Renya’s operation arose, but the military leadership, dominated by factional rivalry and nepotism, ignored the possibility of failure. The failure of the Imphal Operation accelerated the downfall of the Japanese army. The stubborn and foolish individual’s stupid cost contributed to the Allied victory in World War II.

Example

A: Oh, right. You said you were going to buy an external hard drive? There was a hot deal on Amazon yesterday.
B: Really? How much was it? Actually, I ordered in a hurry yesterday while transferring data.
A: 12TB for $174. You get a 10% discount with a coupon.
B: Wow... You should have told me earlier. I ordered 10TB for $180 yesterday.
A: Oh no, you lost $6 on 2TB? That’s a total stupid cost. Cancel your order quickly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.