Reasons for Suspension Revealed: Order to Restrain Broadcasting and Firing Despite North Korean Approach

[Anchor]

Lt. Gen. Han Ki-sung, commander of the Army's 1st Corps, was previously known to have been relieved of his duties for ordering guard duty with "empty guns" lacking ammunition and for responding inappropriately to a U.S. military drone. However, it has been learned that there was a different, real reason. According to our reporting, Commander Han issued directives instructing troops to refrain from issuing warning broadcasts or firing warning shots even if North Korean soldiers approach the Military Demarcation Line, and he also reportedly did not order "barren land clearance operations" to secure forward visibility.

SBS National Security Correspondent Kim Tae-hun reports exclusively.

[Reporter]

A high-ranking Ministry of National Defense official told SBS that after taking office following his promotion to lieutenant general last November, Army 1st Corps Commander Han Ki-sung modified several North Korea-related operational guidelines.

First, he ordered troops not to load live ammunition into heavy machine guns and other weapons during frontline guard operations.

However, there were other modified guidelines as well.

The response guidelines for 1st Corps troops were relaxed in the event that North Korean soldiers approach the MDL, or Military Demarcation Line.

A high-ranking Defense Ministry official told SBS, "When North Korean soldiers approach within dozens of meters of the MDL, our soldiers on guard duty are supposed to sequentially conduct warning broadcasts and warning shots, but Commander Han instructed subordinate units such as the 1st and 25th Divisions to apply these procedures in a relaxed manner."

"In fact, this past spring, several times, North Korean soldiers approached the MDL within the 1st Corps jurisdiction, but 1st Corps troops performed neither warning broadcasts nor warning shots," the official added.

It is understood, however, that the North Korean soldiers did not cross the MDL at the time.

In addition, frontline units are strictly required to clear weeds during spring, summer, and autumn to secure forward visibility during guard duty—a procedure known as "barren land clearance work"—yet the Ministry of National Defense found that the 1st Corps did not carry out this work this year.

A Defense Ministry official stated, "We believe that the failure to conduct barren land clearance work is also related to Commander Han's relaxation of North Korea operation guidelines."

The Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly became aware of these conditions within the 1st Corps around April or May and sent warning messages to Commander Han, but no changes were made. When the recent controversy over the "failure to load ammunition into heavy machine guns" broke out, the decision was made to relieve him of his duties.

The Ministry of National Defense plans to conduct further investigations into the reasons why Commander Han altered the North Korea operation guidelines.

Representatives for Commander Han conveyed to SBS that "it is inappropriate to state a position prior to the investigation."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video Reported by Kim Hyun-sang | Video Edited by Choi Jin-hwa | Design by Han Heung-soo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.