Following a controversy over guard operations conducted with "unloaded live ammunition" in the Army's 1st Corps, the Ministry of National Defense conducted an inspection, confirmed similar cases in other frontline corps, and decided to issue institutional warnings.

A defense ministry official stated, "As of the time of the inspection, some units were carrying certain firearms without loading ammunition, without revising guidelines or having official supporting documents."

According to sources, including the office of People Power Party Representative Kang Sun-young of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, various cases of unloaded individual and crew-served weapons were confirmed not only in the 1st Corps, but also in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Corps, which are tasked with guarding frontline guard posts (GP) and general outposts (GOP).

Accordingly, the defense ministry has reportedly decided to issue institutional warnings to the 1st and 2nd Corps, the 22nd Division under the 3rd Corps, and the Army Ground Operations Command—the higher command overseeing the frontline corps—for failing to observe procedures and violating ammunition loading principles.

A defense ministry official said, "Based on the inspection results, we plan to issue institutional warnings and corrective action orders to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the Ground Operations Command, and subordinate corps and divisions."

Because managing methods for carrying ammunition falls under the oversight of the Ground Operations Command, an institutional warning will reportedly be issued to the command, while the Joint Chiefs of Staff is expected to receive a corrective action order aimed at improving its operational system.

(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)