Four recent firearm-related deaths in the military have raised the alarm over lax safety procedures and insufficient mental health protections for soldiers.
While the Ministry of National Defense has ordered a rare, comprehensive inspection of all units, pressure is mounting for more substantive reforms.
On Saturday, a Marine Corps corporal from the 6th Brigade was found dead of a gunshot wound inside a vehicle on Daecheong Island, about 160 kilometers west of Seoul. He had just returned from a coastal patrol. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead less than two hours later.
Investigators from the military, police, and the National Human Rights Commission conducted a joint inquiry at the scene and reported finding no signs of foul play.
Attention quickly focused on whether safety protocols had been overlooked and why the rifle was loaded with live rounds. The Marine Corps confirmed that the soldier's funeral was held at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital with the family's consent.
The incident came on the heels of three other recent deaths.
On Aug. 23, a sergeant at a front-line guard post died from a gunshot wound. On Sept. 2, a captain at the Korea Army Academy in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, left his base with a rifle and live ammunition and later took his own life. Less than a week later, on Sept. 8, a staff sergeant in a communications unit was found dead after leaving a note.
Gaps in oversight and weapons control were evident in each case. Supervision of firearm use at the guard post was deemed lax, while at the Army Academy, officers failed to detect the unauthorized removal of a rifle. Critics argue that the pattern points to systemic shortcomings rather than isolated errors.
The Ministry of National Defense announced a two-week special inspection beginning Tuesday, covering every unit down to the platoon level. The review will examine the handling of firearms and ammunition, accident prevention during training and operations and the effectiveness of emergency medical and counseling systems. The army has also launched a study on applying the Serious Accident Punishment Act to the military, which could hold officials legally accountable for safety breaches.
Lawmakers and analysts have warned that the problem goes beyond poor enforcement. "Finding such flaws in the control of weapons and ammunition, areas where discipline should be the strictest, is deeply troubling," said Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party and a member of the National Assembly Defense Committee. "Senior leaders must recognize the gravity of this situation and overhaul the safety system at the top."
Mental health risks are also a cause for concern.
Experts say psychological strain is affecting not only conscripts but also officers and noncommissioned officers. Baek Myung-jae, a psychiatrist at Kyung Hee University Hospital who previously served as a military doctor, said current counseling programs cannot effectively reach every unit.