A noncommissioned officer in a special forces unit in North Jeolla Province illegally took blank cartridges and shell casings out of the unit and kept them for a long time, prompting the military authorities to launch an investigation.
According to the Army Special Warfare Command on the 19th, around the 16th, Sergeant First Class A of the command voluntarily returned more than 20 unused blank cartridges and more than 50 shell casings to the unit.
An investigation found that years ago, Sergeant First Class A took blank cartridges and shell casings out of the unit without authorization and kept them at home. In particular, it was reported that the unit had not realized for years that ammunition and shell casings had been taken outside until A returned the items on their own.
The military authorities are questioning Sergeant First Class A about the exact circumstances of the removal and are closely examining whether there were lapses in the unit's ammunition management system. Internally, the military is also expected to review possible management negligence by the working-level manager.
Regarding this, a military official said, "There were no live rounds taken out," and added, "Because the investigation is underway, it is difficult to disclose specific details."