South Korea inspects front-line units over unloaded guns
South Korean soldiers stand guard at a destroyed South Korean guard post during a mutual on-site verification of the withdrawal of guard posts along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in northern Gangwon-do, South Korea. Photo by JEON HEON-KYUN / EPA
July 30 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s military began inspecting front-line Army units Thursday after a corps changed its guard procedures and stopped loading live ammunition into heavy weapons deployed near the border with North Korea.
The review follows concerns that the change could weaken the military’s ability to respond quickly during an emergency.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the Army Ground Operations Command began an on-site inspection of the 1st Corps on Thursday and plans to examine other front-line corps under its command.
Military officials will consider additional measures after completing the inspections.
The Ground Operations Command oversees five regional corps – the Capital, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th corps – as well as the 7th Maneuver Corps. The inspections will cover front-line units in some of the five regional corps.
The 1st Corps, which is responsible for the western section of the inter-Korean border, reportedly changed its procedures during the first half of this year.
Under the revised procedures, soldiers at guard posts and general outposts did not load live ammunition into crew-served weapons, including K6 heavy machine guns and K4 automatic grenade launchers.
The ammunition was instead stored in ammunition boxes near the weapons.
South Korean front-line units are generally required to keep live ammunition loaded in weapons used for guard operations. The 1st Corps reportedly made an exception under the authority of its commander, Lt. Gen. Han Ki-sung.
The measure was reportedly intended to prevent accidental discharges, but critics said it could delay the military’s response to a North Korean attack or other emergency in the heavily fortified border area.
Questions have also been raised about whether Han’s decision was influenced by an accidental discharge that occurred while he commanded the Army’s 25th Infantry Division last year.
During that incident, a K6 machine gun round was accidentally fired toward North Korea while soldiers at a general outpost were inspecting the weapon.
A military official said inspectors would examine whether it was appropriate for a commander to change ammunition-loading procedures at his discretion, along with other operational issues.
“The use of firearms at front-line guard posts and general outposts is based on the principle that live ammunition must be loaded,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The military said it would take necessary action after examining units operating under exceptions to that rule.
Detailed information cannot be disclosed because of operational security, it said.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260730010011169