Funeral procedures have begun for the late Corporal Chae Su-geun, who died while searching for missing residents in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province.
Criticism of the Marine Corps is growing, saying that they were driven into a reckless search operation without minimum safety measures, including life jackets안전놀이터.
Reporter Kim Geun-woo reports.
[Reporter]
The late Corporal Chae Su-geun was swept away by a torrent while participating in an operation to find missing residents due to heavy rain.
After a 14-hour search, he was eventually found dead.
Corporal Chae participated in the search operation without being provided with basic safety equipment such as a life jacket and was injured.
The corporal’s father, a 27-year veteran firefighter, burst into anger saying that the accident occurred because he couldn’t even keep the basics.
[Corporal Chae’s father: It’s not like this because we don’t even follow the basic safety rules. Why don’t you put on any life jackets?]
Neighbors also say that the accident site is a very dangerous place, and that it is incomprehensible that soldiers were put in without safety equipment.
[Ahn Do-young / Bomun-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do: Water doesn’t flow like this on average, it just digs and rises bumpy… . It’s dangerous even if you wear a life jacket, but if you don’t wear it, it’s dangerous, of course.]
The Marine Corps eventually apologized to the bereaved family.
In particular, he said he would look into the on-site judgment of not wearing a life jacket again.
[Choi Won-seon / Marine Corps Headquarters Public Information Manager: Considering the situation at the time, I think it is appropriate to wear a life jacket. However, we are conducting an investigation into what judgments were made on the spot, and we will supplement the regulations and guidelines.]
“How do you send my son? Minister, how do you send it? How do you send it…
Corporal Chae’s incense burner was set up at the 1st Marine Corps Division in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.
The funeral will be held at the head of the Marine Corps, and according to the will of his bereaved family, condolences are also permitted.
The remains will be enshrined in the Hogukwon in Imsil, North Jeolla Province after a funeral ceremony on the morning of the 22nd.