By Lee Kyung-min
A dead lizard was found in a can of candy sold at a commissary on a military base, prompting public outrage against lax food safety regulations.
This latest incident comes amid a growing number of complaints filed over the safety of food sold at military camps, according to data made public by a lawmaker.
In a report filed with Rep. Kim Hack-yong of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party by the Ministry of National Defense Welfare Agency, 89 cases of tainted food were reported from January 2013 to early this month. Kim sits on the National Assembly Defense Committee.
The number of reports has increased over the years with 16 cases reported in 2013, 17 in 2014, 21 in 2015 and 22 in 2016.
Besides the dead lizard, hair, chicken feathers, maggots, ticks, pieces of plastic bags, and nuts and bolts were also found in various packaged food products, the report said.
A case reported this year involved pieces of what looked like a plastic bag found in bread. A dead fly was found in a donut, and part of severed cable cord was found in a dumpling. The identities of the manufacturers are being withheld.
A company reported on four occasions for providing contaminated food products _ twice in 2014 once last year and once this year _ did not have its contract canceled and is still supplying the military without being punished.
All three companies, which had complaints filed against them, received only verbal warnings, and continue to supply shoddy food products to soldiers.
Rep. Kim said manufacturers that make subpar products only have their business operations suspended for only two months, which they apparently find a cheaper alternative than maintaining good safety standards.
He said repeated violations occur due to the lax regulations, adding that strict safety regulations should be enforced to ensure food safety for young men serving their military duty.
Military service of 21 months is compulsory for all able-bodied men in Korea. President Moon Jae-in pledged during his campaign that he would reduce the obligation to 18 months.
Earlier, an allegation was made that high ranking military officials were involved in bribery after receiving money from food makers in return for helping them win government contracts to supply their products.
In 2014, a former colonel who served as a senior manager at the welfare agency filed multiple complaints with the military audit office over suspected bribery.
However, the office closed the case without pressing charges against anyone, after which the colonel claimed he was subject to multiple unjust punitive measures including a pay cut and relocation to a remote rural office.
The colonel later filed a petition with the National Human Rights Commission citing human rights abuses he suffered as a whistleblower.