AI video of guard post soldiers dealing with the situation using batons instead of firearms. [Photo=YouTube Capture] 

Controversy has arisen after an Army division in Yanggu-gun, Gangwon Province, issued then withdrew a directive for guard post personnel to carry 'collapsible batons' instead of firearms.

An Army division issued a directive that guard post personnel were not to carry firearms starting from the 5th of this month. The directive also instructed that the challenge phrase "Halt! Halt or I shoot!" should be deleted simultaneously.

Instead, in case of an incident, a collapsible baton was to be carried as a substitute for firearms. Furthermore, there was a detailed instruction to "secure it to the body armor, not carry it in hand."

The directive also stated that firearms cabinets in the command and control center would not be necessary, and personnel should be trained to retrieve firearms in the event of an enemy infiltration.

Article 83 of the Ministry of National Defense's Unit Management Regulations stipulates that "guard posts must be equipped with ammunition for emergencies" and that "the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman shall determine the placement, type, quantity of ammunition, and the timing of issuance to sentries."

Given this, issuing an order for guard post personnel not to carry firearms and ammunition while the regulations themselves remain unchanged is highly controversial.

An official from the military initially explained, "This is a measure taken in accordance with changes in the Joint Chiefs of Staff's combat operational guidelines to reduce unit workload and for other reasons."

However, as the incident sparked controversy, with the situation being satirized in videos on social media, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "We issued relaxed operational guidelines for combat for certain units that do not require enhanced guard duty."

They added, "We issued guidelines allowing firearms to be replaced with non-lethal means such as collapsible batons and Tasers, depending on the specific operational environment of each unit and the judgment of a general-grade commander," and explained, "The unit in question acted hastily, so the directive was withdrawn."

One citizen lamented, "The military has come to this point, and not a single soldier is speaking out."

Reporter Lim Yo-hee