Reason for Suspension... "Refrain From Broadcasts and Firing Even If North Korea Approaches"

[Anchor]

Lieutenant General Han Ki-sung, commander of the Army's 1st Corps, who recently sparked controversy for ordering guard duty with unloaded firearms and responding inappropriately to a U.S. military drone, has been relieved of his duties. It has been confirmed that, aside from these issues, the corps commander had also issued directives to refrain from warning broadcasts and gunfire even if North Korean troops approach the Military Demarcation Line.

This is Kim Tae-hun, national security correspondent.

[Reporter]

A high-ranking Ministry of National Defense official told SBS that Lieutenant General Han Ki-sung, who was promoted to lieutenant general last November, revised several anti-North Korea operational guidelines after taking office as corps commander.

First, he instructed troops not to load live ammunition—a procedure known as inserting magazines—into heavy machine guns and other weapons during frontline guard operations.

There were other revised 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.

The high-ranking defense official told SBS, "When North Korean soldiers approach within dozens of meters of the MDL, our soldiers on guard duty are supposed to sequentially carry out warning broadcasts and warning shots. However, Corps Commander Han instructed subordinate units, including the 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions, to apply these procedures in a relaxed manner."

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

However, it is understood 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 task known as "barren zone clearance work." The Ministry of National Defense found that the 1st Corps did not carry out this work this year.

A defense official stated, "We believe that the failure to conduct barren zone clearance work is also related to Corps Commander Han's relaxation of anti-North Korea operational guidelines."

The Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly became aware of these conditions in the 1st Corps around April or May and sent a warning message to Corps Commander Han, but there was no change. When the recent controversy over "failing to load ammunition into heavy machine guns" erupted, the decision was made to relieve him of his duties.

The Ministry of National Defense plans to conduct further investigations into the reasons why Corps Commander Han changed the anti-North Korea operational guidelines.

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

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