National Defense Minister Yoon Kwang Ung submitted his resignation on Wednesday. Given what happened with the guard post shooting he was right to do so. The president should accept his resignation as soon as the situation is brought under control.
Yoon's failed at more than simply preventing the shooting incident. The military's inquiry has hurt the public's confidence once again, and that, too, is something Yoon must bear responsibility for. Even if you say there has not been ample time for an investigation, there is much about the results the defense ministry has announced already that is hard to believe. It was after the initial announcement that it became known the soldiers watched live football earlier that day. That was something basic and that easily could have been ascertained. It leaves you wondering whether the ministry hid that fact on purpose.
Initially it was also not made public that one soldier in particular suffered from the grenade more than the others who were killed. Even now it has not been explained why the regular guard duty had not taken place. Sometimes suspicion originates out of simple misunderstanding, but if the questions are not answered it becomes hard to put the suspicion to rest. The military only allowed the media access to the site after the suspicion started to grow, and that closed atmosphere invited distrust. One understands well enough how the nature of the military requires respect for security. The preliminary inquiry is being seen as an attempt to avoid reprimand for lax discipline.
This incident has been a big shock for the country. Everything that is not essential to national security must be disclosed. The ministry did the right thing to finally organize a special investigative body and allow members of the National Human Rights Commission and the families of the deceased to participate as observers. It has also promised to disclose all of the results of the final investigation. We hope to see it build confidence by demonstrating that the military exists for the people as it continues to deal with what happened.
The Hankyoreh, 23 June 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
Military Loses Confidence Even With Investigation |
