"Since It Will Be Left Anyway" A 15,000 Won Birthday Soldier Cake Replaced with a 1,000 Won Bread?

A tipster shared a photo claiming that the special birthday meal provided to soldiers on their birthday was not properly served. Photo by Army Training Center Instead Delivered Facebook

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] Amid controversy over allegations that soldiers returning from leave and placed under quarantine due to COVID-19 prevention measures were provided with 'substandard meals,' a report has also emerged claiming that the special birthday meal (special dish), budgeted at 15,000 KRW per soldier, was not properly provided.

On the 25th, the Facebook page 'Delivered on Behalf of the Army Training Center' posted a message along with evidence photos stating that soldiers celebrating their birthdays at a unit in Daegu were given bread priced around 1,000 KRW instead of the usual cake.

The released photos show soldiers with a small piece of bread in front of them, each with a single birthday candle inserted.

A tipster shared a photo claiming that the special birthday meal provided to soldiers on their birthday was not properly served. Photo by Army Training Center Instead Delivered Facebook

The informant said, "Every month, soldiers celebrating their birthdays were given cakes, but in March, instead of cake, bread that seemed to be sold at the PX (military convenience store) costing about 1,000 KRW was given to the birthday soldiers," adding, "An officer said, 'We didn't give cakes because they would just be left uneaten anyway.'"

He continued, "Although the cakes had never been left uneaten before, feeling wronged, we submitted a letter of appeal to the battalion commander, but even after a month, we have not received any response," he lamented.

He pointed out, "Of course, from April, cakes have been provided again to those with birthdays, but the mood is that the March birthday soldiers are being overlooked and forgotten."

He further stated, "What we feel wronged about is not just missing out on a cake, but that the approximately 15,000 KRW budget, which should rightfully be used for the soldiers and comes from taxpayers' money, is not being properly used and is handled opaquely, and complaints about this are being ignored internally and swept under the rug."

Finally, he appealed, "We sincerely hope that through public discussion, such incidents will not happen again and that the treatment of soldiers will improve."

The Ministry of National Defense has increased the cost of soldiers' birthday special meals from 11,000 KRW to 15,000 KRW starting this year.

The bread in the reported photos is a product sold by a domestic bakery company under the name 'Cheesecake (cake),' with a market price reported to be around 1,000 KRW.

In response, the Army explained to the media, "This incident occurred because the unit temporarily could not find a cake supplier," and added, "Once a contract is signed with a supplier soon, cakes will also be provided to the soldiers who did not receive them in March."

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