Ongoing Accidents... Ministry of National Defense Launches "Special, Comprehensive Inspection of All Military Units" by End of Month

Three Fatal Firearm Incidents in Three Weeks
Safety Accidents Occur in Both Army and Air Force on the Same Day

The Ministry of National Defense will conduct a special, comprehensive inspection of all military units across every echelon by the end of this month. This initiative is in response to ongoing safety incidents and fatal firearm accidents within the military, despite direct orders from the Minister.

On September 15, the Ministry of National Defense announced that, in light of recent fatal and explosive incidents in the armed forces, it will carry out a "special, comprehensive inspection of all military units" by September 30 to ensure stable unit operations.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the military, a series of incidents and accidents have occurred across different branches in recent weeks. On August 23, a non-commissioned officer was found dead from a gunshot wound at an Army frontline guard post (GP). On September 2, an Army officer from a unit in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, was also found dead from a gunshot wound at Suseong Lake in Daegu. On September 13, a Marine Corps soldier stationed on Daecheong Island in Incheon was likewise found dead from a gunshot wound.

Other safety incidents have also continued. According to the Air Force, on September 10, during a reservist training exercise at an Air Force unit in Seogwipo, Jeju, a practice landmine detonator exploded. As a result, a total of seven people-six reservists and one instructor (a non-commissioned officer)-sustained minor injuries such as abrasions and tinnitus. Coincidentally, at 3:24 p.m. on the same day, a simulated explosion round unexpectedly detonated during a non-firing drill with a K9 self-propelled howitzer at a corps-level artillery unit in Jeokseong-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Ten soldiers (five enlisted and five non-commissioned officers) suffered burns to their arms and thighs.

Accordingly, this comprehensive inspection will cover all soldiers and civilian employees in every branch and directly affiliated unit or agency, ranging from the platoon level up to the highest echelons. The results will be reported through the chain of command and ultimately submitted by each branch headquarters to the Ministry of National Defense.

The inspection will focus on: ▲ preventing accidents that may occur during barracks life, training, and operational activities; ▲ inspecting the safety management of firearms, ammunition (explosives), equipment, supplies, and facilities; ▲ minimizing patient occurrence and checking emergency medical response and mental health management systems. In addition, the military plans to identify outdated or habitual practices that are no longer appropriate for the current era, implement follow-up measures for identified issues, and confirm whether ongoing monitoring is needed.

The Ministry of National Defense also plans to use this special inspection to ensure that all personnel in each unit or agency are thoroughly educated on existing manuals and the latest guidelines for each area, so that they are fully understood and put into practice.

A spokesperson for the Ministry stated, "This comprehensive inspection will focus on preventing accidents during barracks life, training, and operational activities, as well as on the management of firearms and ammunition, emergency medical systems, and mental health management systems," adding, "We will devise thorough countermeasures to prevent such incidents from happening again."

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