Military drastically reduced civilian aid after 2023 marine’s death
Soldiers from the Army’s 39th Infantry Division wear life vests while searching for a missing person in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, July 24, even though there was no standing water. Courtesy of the Army
South Korea’s military has significantly scaled back its civilian disaster support operations since the 2023 drowning death of Marine Corps Cpl. Chae Su-geun, according to newly released data on Tuesday.
Analysts say the incident triggered a wave of caution across the armed forces, with commanders reluctant to risk liability during civilian assistance missions.
The Ministry of National Defense submitted troop deployment figures to Rep. Choo Mi-ae of the Democratic Party of Korea, showing that while civilian aid efforts surged during the COVID-19 era and beyond, they dropped sharply in 2024 across all branches.
The Army deployed about 47,300 personnel in 2021, 57,200 in 2022, and 92,700 in 2023. But last year, the number plunged to just 24,600, barely 23 percent of the previous year’s total.
The Air Force sent 884 troops in 2021, 3,671 in 2022, and 2,869 in 2023, but only 204 in 2024 — less than 7 percent of the prior year’s number. The Navy also saw a sharp drop, from over 5,000 annually in 2021 and 2022 to 403 in 2023 and just 249 in 2024.
The Marine Corps, which was directly impacted by Chae’s death during a flood rescue operation in July 2023, halted civilian missions in the second half of that year. After peaking at 27,000 in 2021 and 34,000 in 2022, the figure dropped to 8,900 in 2023 and 3,100 in 2024.
Safety-first approach
Officials say the downturn reflects a shift in the military’s mindset following the Chae case. “Civilian disaster aid isn’t a core military duty, but when disasters strike near bases, it’s hard to ignore,” one military official said on condition of anonymity. “Since the Chae incident, there's been growing awareness that soldier safety must come first.”
Another source suggested the incident left commanders unwilling to take responsibility for field risks. “Leaders now avoid deployments because they believe no one will protect them if something goes wrong,” the source said.
Previously, the military was lauded for dramatic rescue efforts — such as armored vehicle missions during the 2022 floods in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. But that narrative is shifting toward a safety-first approach.
At a flood response meeting in July, Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee ordered that only trained personnel be deployed for water-based operations and emphasized preventing any loss of life.
Um Hyo-sik, secretary general of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said the military must tighten its civilian assistance protocols.
“With fewer troops and more diverse missions, the criteria for deployment must be stricter,” he said. “If service members are sent to assist civilians, their safety and compensation must be guaranteed.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.