Military Command Criticized for '16-Course Imperial Meal' and Now 'Star-Shaped Napkins' Controversy

"Pressure on Soldiers Including Gag Orders After 'Emperor Meal' Controversy"
"'You Snitched... We Know Who It Is' Threats"

After the exposure of the '16-course full-course meal' at the Army 9th Division Baekma Hall, additional allegations have been raised that senior officers of the 1st Corps, the higher command, pressured the hall staff to keep quiet, indicating internal suppression.

According to the Military Human Rights Center on the 1st, immediately after the Baekma Hall preferential treatment allegations were exposed, on the 26th and 27th of last month, the personnel director of the 1st Corps and inspection personnel from the Army Headquarters visited Gwanggaeto Jeil Hall, the corps welfare hall, to conduct surveys and counseling with the hall staff.

It is also claimed that when a general officer made a reservation, a red napkin was folded into a 'star' shape and placed on a new ceramic bowl, while colonels and master sergeants had a red napkin folded into a 'crown' shape placed on the ceramic bowls they had been using, with different settings according to rank.
[Photo by Center for Military Human Rights]

However, the Military Human Rights Center claims that one hour before their arrival, the hall manager gathered the hall staff and made pressuring remarks such as, "We have nothing to be caught for, and there is nothing that could implicate us in this incident."

After the survey and counseling ended, the manager threatened a hall staff member by saying, "Didn't you snitch on me? It seems like you did," and "If you ask the personnel department, they know exactly who it is."

When high-ranking officials dined, seasonal fruits, rice cakes, and tea?desserts not usually provided?were served, and when the corps commander dined, seating charts were sometimes created for table settings, the Center for Military Human Rights reported.
[Photo by Center for Military Human Rights]

The Military Human Rights Center also revealed, "Senior officers such as the corps commander, similar to Baekma Hall, ordered dishes not on the menu like pufferfish soup, crab soup, octopus tangtangyi, abalone salad, and eel when their guests visited."

When senior officers dined, seasonal fruits, rice cakes, tea, and other desserts not usually provided were served, and when the corps commander dined, a seating chart was even created for table setting, the Military Human Rights Center reported.

Following 'Emperor Meals,' Different Settings by Rank Including 'Star Napkins' and 'Crown Napkins'

Specifically, when a general officer made a reservation, a red napkin was folded into a 'star' shape and placed on a new ceramic bowl, while colonels and master sergeants had a red napkin folded into a 'crown' shape placed on the ceramic bowls they had been using, indicating that the settings varied according to rank.
[Photo by Center for Military Human Rights]

The Military Human Rights Center announced that excessive abuse of power extended beyond meals to the meal settings as well.

Specifically, when generals made reservations, red napkins were folded into a 'star' shape and placed on new porcelain dishes, while colonels and master sergeants had red napkins folded into a 'crown' shape placed on existing porcelain dishes, indicating different settings by rank, the center also claimed.

The Military Human Rights Center alleged, "The manager also slapped hall staff on the cheek for sleeping during breaks in the kitchen or threatened them with golf clubs."

Im Tae-hoon, director of the Military Human Rights Center, said, "The manager would hit the senior soldier's thigh or tap their head, saying that every time a junior made a mistake because they did not listen," and added, "To eradicate these bad practices, the operation of the hall should be entrusted to civilians rather than soldiers to focus on providing welfare services."

He further urged, "A full investigation should not be left to the Army. The Ministry of National Defense should suspend the operation of all military halls and conduct a comprehensive investigation into the irregularities that occurred in the halls, including those involving active-duty and discharged personnel."

The Army responded to these allegations by stating, "We are verifying the facts," and "We are inspecting the welfare halls across all units."

Earlier, on the 26th of last month, an exposure revealed that the 9th Division command enjoyed preferential treatment such as receiving off-menu dishes like the 16-course full-course meal at Baekma Hall.

In response, the Army formed a special inspection task force (TF) and is currently inspecting all welfare halls.

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