"Marine Corps Clarification Wordplay"… Controversy Over Leave Restriction for Late Corporal Chae Su-geun's Comrades

Marine Corps "Leave Implemented Normally" Rebuttal
Military Human Rights Center "Lie That Will Be Exposed in 30 Seconds"

Controversy is spreading over allegations that leave and visits were restricted for fellow unit members of the late Corporal Chae Su-geun, who died in the search for flood victims. The Marine Corps denied the claims, stating, "There was no control over outings," but the Military Human Rights Center repeatedly raised suspicions, calling the Marine Corps' explanation "wordplay."

On the 25th, Lim Tae-hoon, director of the Military Human Rights Center, said in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' that "It is not just one or two parents reporting," adding, "The military has a very chronic bad habit. They lie first even if the lie will be exposed in 30 seconds."

On the 22nd, at the 'Kim Dae-sik Hall,' the gymnasium of the 1st Marine Division in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, the remains of the late Corporal Chae Su-geun were being transported by a hearse during the funeral service. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The day before, the Marine Corps responded to the Military Human Rights Center's allegations by stating, "There was no control over the unit members' outings, and leave is being conducted normally this morning as well." In response, Director Lim called it "wordplay," pointing out, "Leave is not something you apply for today and go out today. Saying it is 'being conducted normally' means those who applied earlier went out that day."

He continued, "From the parents' perspective, after the accident, they are very worried about the safety of the surviving soldiers and may be suffering from trauma, so they asked if visits were possible, even just to see their faces, but they were refused, which seems like an attempt to keep things quiet about the accident."

When asked, "Even if leave is restricted, since mobile phone use is possible, isn't it hard to see this as an attempt to keep things quiet?" Director Lim said, "Keeping things quiet is not about whether communication means exist or not," adding, "If you live within a military organization, you know well what implicit coercion is, so it creates an atmosphere where it is actually very difficult to speak out."

He emphasized, "The psychological state of the (unit members) is very poor, and not being able to talk about it is even more dangerous," stressing that leave should not be controlled but actively allowed.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps issued another statement explaining, "The unit is conducting leave, outings, and overnight stays normally, and among those deployed to the site with the late Corporal Chae, no one applied for holiday outings."

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