Investigation Finds Core Commander Ignored Weapon‑Loading Rules

An early investigation revealed that the First Core commander on the western front had personally ordered that the K6 heavy machine gun and the K4 grenade launcher be kept without rounds, and that live shells be stored nearby. This practice runs counter to the Korean military’s doctrine, which requires weapons at forward posts to stay loaded for immediate response. The Ministry of Defense has therefore placed Lieutenant General Han Ki-sung on administrative leave while the case is examined. The incident also prompted the ground‑operations command to start a sector‑wide review of armament management across all five core headquarters.