By Lee Tae-hoon
In a symbolic step for reform, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Sang-ki asked generals Monday to remove their star-studded vehicle registration plates, a deep-rooted symbol of authority.
However, the measure immediately triggered a strong backlash from retired generals, eventually prompting the Army chief to back off his plan Friday.
He said generals whould be allowed to keep the star-studded plates when they use their vehicles for official events.
Gen. Kim, instead, unveiled a new set of guidelines aimed at rooting out bureaucracy and boosting the military’s combat readiness.
Under the new guidelines, generals should use the same bathhouse and cafeteria as the colonels in military headquarters with less than 10 generals, defense officials said.
Generals should also drive their own cars without a driver and wear combat boots with shoe strings instead of those with zippers.
“The guidelines were set because generals need to take the lead in turning the military into combat-ready units,” a ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.
Critics have raised questions whether all the generals will comply with the new guidelines as there is no penalty for breaching the rules.
The military has about 430 generals in its 655,000 strong-forces.
The country’s military has been trying to re-establish itself after what many considered feeble and slow responses to a series of North Korean provocations last year.