The National Human Rights Commission said on the 9th that it confirmed inappropriate discipline and excessive control during basic training for prospective cadets at the Air Force Academy and recommended disciplinary action against those involved.
Person A, who entered as a prospective cadet at the Air Force Academy and then withdrew, filed a petition with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in February this year, saying that during basic training, six people, including supervising cadets and instructors, subjected the person to abuse such as assault, verbal abuse, punitive physical drills, and forced eating.
Person A said that during a run the person injured a knee and back and received a military doctor's diagnosis recommending exemption from training for at least 1–2 weeks, but a residential supervising cadet assaulted the injured areas, saying, "For someone who's a 'gara (fake) patient)." The petition also said they provided a 1.5-liter (L) Coolpis drink and a mammoth bread, forced quick consumption, and then made the person skip two meals afterward, saying, "There is no need to eat."
Person A also said that another training supervising cadet repeatedly hurled verbal abuse during training in front of other cadets, saying things like, "Did your parents teach you that?" and "Just looking at your face makes me angry."
The supervising cadets and instructors told the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), "It is true we disciplined the prospective cadets, but it was not excessive."
For example, they said they used the phrase "Did your 'abi' teach you that?" but claimed that "abi" was only slang referring to the prospective cadets' assigned supervising cadet.
As a result of on-site investigations, including surveys and follow-up interviews, conducted by the NHRC Military Human Rights Protection Committee from Feb. 23 to 25, the commission confirmed cases of human rights violations among many prospective cadets undergoing basic training, including punitive physical drills, assault, group punishments, profanity, verbal abuse, forced eating, and meal restrictions. Witnesses said they saw Person A ordered to assume the push-up position and then have feet stepped on by hand, or subjected to food torture.
In addition to Person A, there were other prospective cadets who said they experienced punitive physical drills at a level of abuse. Testimony said that inside living quarters without closed-circuit television (CCTV), they were ordered to perform up to 50 to 100 repetitions of Ranger gymnastics No. 8 (full-body twisting) or 200 burpees, accompanied by profanity. There were also cases where they were disciplined naked in a bathhouse and felt humiliated.
There was also testimony of being victimized by having personal belongings thrown and broken and doors kicked to shout and intimidate after lights-out. Many said they were made to consume a considerable amount of bread and drinks within a set time, and if they failed to finish, they were not allowed to eat rice the next day.
There were several prospective cadets who experienced profanity or insulting remarks. They said that in the living room, for being slow in their movements, they were insulted with references to their parents and partners, such as, "You have no fundamentals. You're disgusting." They also said they heard, "If you keep opening your eyes like that, I'll gouge them out," and "Go down before I step on your head, burst it, and kill you."
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recommended disciplinary action against those involved and urged the Air Force chief of staff to conduct a special, detailed assessment of basic training and take necessary measures.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also viewed the current training format—under which cadets in trainee status effectively conduct discipline training for prospective cadets who are civilians—as likely to violate laws. Accordingly, it recommended that the Minister of the Ministry of National Defense establish a legal basis for preadmission basic training at each service academy and devise fundamental measures for human rights-friendly operations.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said, "Given the purpose of service academies to train officers, the educational necessity of the basic training system is recognized, but because it entails high-intensity restrictions on basic rights akin to barracks life, such as compulsory group living and lifestyle rules, it must be carried out with a clear legal basis."