[Anchor]

Yesterday (November 1), we reported that an Air Force wing mobilized military band soldiers to hold a drinking gathering starting at 5 p.m. It has now been confirmed that similar drinking parties were held across all Air Force wings during the first half of this year. The Ministry of National Defense has launched an audit.

Here is defense specialist reporter Kim Taehun.

[Reporter]

Officers clad in flight suits jump up and down and shout at the top of their lungs with both hands raised in the air.

Standing in the center are a three-star lieutenant general commanding the Air Force Education and Training Command and a one-star brigadier general serving as wing commander.

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

Viewing the details exposed by the SBS report as a grave matter, the Ministry of National Defense immediately began verifying the facts.

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

The Air Force stated that these 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 Inspector General's Office of the Ministry of National Defense plans to look closely into whether regulations regarding the mobilization of military band soldiers for unit events were observed, and to what extent the drinking hours encroached upon duty hours.

Investigators are also expected to examine whether there were additional cases where flights were canceled due to the effects of drinking at the gatherings, beyond the wing in question.

The communication gatherings were organized by Air Force Headquarters to boost troop morale following a series of aircraft accidents.

While the aircraft accidents were frequent due to overall lax discipline within the Air Force, Air Force Headquarters effectively ended up further encouraging laxity by hosting drinking gatherings under the pretext of boosting morale.

With the Air Force offering no expression of regret, the Ministry of National Defense has launched audits into Air Force Headquarters, the Air Force Education and Training Command, and the 3rd Flying Training Wing.

(Video by Kim Hyun-sang | Video Editing by Choi Jin-hwa)