[Exclusive] Navy Officers Drink Before Warrant Officer Appointment... Serious Discipline Lapse During Security Week

Panoramic view of the Naval Education Command. Photo by Naval Education Command website capture

[Asia Economy reporters Yang Nak-gyu and Yoo Byung-don] It has been confirmed that non-commissioned officers undergoing commissioning training at the Naval Education Command were caught holding a drinking party during the training period, prompting the military to launch an investigation. The Naval Education Command, where the incident occurred, was also criticized last year for serious military discipline lapses after soldiers were caught drinking while leaving their posts unattended during early morning guard duty.

According to the Navy on the 3rd, the Naval Education Command in Changwon, Gyeongnam Province, caught three officers, including sergeants and master sergeants, drinking inside the training facility during the 61st Non-Commissioned Officer Candidate training held over the past three weeks. This training, conducted from the 15th of last month to the 3rd, is a type of course for 66 sergeants and master sergeants (53 from the Navy and 13 from the Marine Corps) before their appointment as warrant officers.

It is known that on the afternoon of the 24th, during the training period, they were caught by military authorities after sharing two bottles of beer. The Navy confirmed this fact three days later on the 27th and forcibly dismissed all involved personnel on the 29th.

The 24th, when the drinking incident was uncovered, was designated as Security Week by the military in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War. The Navy had designated this week as a period for refraining from alcohol consumption. Regardless, drinking is prohibited for all trainees during the training period.

Until last year, all trainees’ mobile phones were collected during the training and returned collectively after the training ended, but this year, phones were redistributed after daily training sessions, which has been pointed out as a cause of the drinking incident. Compared to soldiers, officers at the non-commissioned officer level or higher find it easier to procure alcohol using their mobile phones. The Navy is also in a difficult position as the drinking incident occurred immediately after temporarily allowing mobile phone use.

The Navy’s drinking incidents are not a recent problem. In May last year, two ammunition depot guards at the Naval Education Command were caught holding a drinking party until dawn after ordering 10,000cc of draft beer and soju from a chicken restaurant outside the base using their personal mobile phones during night duty. Regulations limit soldiers’ mobile phone use until 10 p.m., but it was found that officers were unaware that the phones had not been collected at that time.

In particular, there are suspicions that this recent drinking incident is just the tip of the iceberg. An insider from the Navy said, “It is an open secret that non-commissioned officers undergoing training during the warrant officer candidate course frequently drink,” adding, “Only three were caught this time, but there is a strong possibility that more who drank will be identified.”

A Navy official stated, “We recognize the seriousness of the recent unfortunate drinking incident and are conducting a thorough investigation,” and explained, “Strict punishment will be imposed on those involved as soon as the investigation is completed.”

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