'Drinking Sessions at All Air Force Wings' ... Defense Ministry Launches Audit

[Anchor]

We previously reported that an Air Force wing mobilized military band soldiers to hold a drinking gathering. It has now been confirmed that this type of drinking gathering was held across all Air Force wings, and the Ministry of National Defense has launched an audit.

Defense Specialist Reporter Kim Taehun reports.

[Reporter]

Officers clad in flight suits jump up and down with both hands raised, shouting.

Standing in the center are a three-star lieutenant general, who heads the Air Force Education and Training Command, and a one-star brigadier general wing commander.

This is video footage from a "communication gathering" held for about three hours starting at 5 p.m. on April 29 at the cafeteria of the Air Force's 3rd Flying Training Wing in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.

Viewing the details uncovered by SBS reporting as a grave matter, the Ministry of National Defense immediately launched an effort to verify the facts.

[Jeong Bit-na / Defense Ministry Spokesperson: "We view this as a very serious matter. The Minister of National Defense has instructed the Office of the Inspector General to conduct a rigorous investigation to verify the facts."]

The Air Force revealed that such drinking gatherings, in which military band soldiers were mobilized and alcohol was served in abundance, took place across all Air Force wings in the first half of this year.

The Defense Ministry's Office of the Inspector General plans to closely examine whether regulations regarding the mobilization of military band personnel for unit events were observed, and to what extent the drinking encroached on official duty hours.

It is also understood that authorities will investigate whether there were additional instances of flight cancellations caused by drinking at these gatherings, beyond the wing in question.

The communication gatherings were organized by Air Force Headquarters to boost the morale of personnel in the wake of a series of aircraft accidents.

While the frequent aircraft accidents were rooted in a widespread breakdown of Air Force discipline, Air Force Headquarters effectively ended up further encouraging lax discipline by organizing drinking parties under the banner of boosting morale.

With the Air Force yet to express any regret, the Ministry of National Defense has initiated an audit targeting Air Force Headquarters, the Education and Training Command, and the 3rd Flying Training Wing, among others.

(Video by Kim Hyun-sang | Video editing by Choi Jin-hwa)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.