The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    Suicidal pedestrian saved over Han River bridge

  • 5

    Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'

  • 7

    Youth, foreign drug offenders increase threefold in 5 years

  • 9

    NK rejects alleged arms trading with Russia, warns of 'undesirable result'

  • 11

    Samsung to introduce low-carbon diet for employees to help tackle climate change

  • 13

    Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

  • 15

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 17

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 19

    3 dead, 4 hurt in upmarket Los Angeles neighborhood

  • 2

    Japanese teen romance film attracts 1 mil. Korean viewers for 1st time in 21 yrs

  • 4

    Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

  • 6

    US four-star general warns of war with China in 2025

  • 8

    INTERVIEWBusan has potential to be world-class city, says mayor

  • 10

    K-pop releases for February

  • 12

    'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot

  • 14

    Plum trees, pheasants and promises of old Korea

  • 16

    Main opposition leader faces pressure to resign in case of indictment

  • 18

    S. Korea mistakenly fires machine gun near border with N. Korea

  • 20

    NATO chief calls for stronger security ties with S. Korea to counter China

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, January 31, 2023 | 06:37
Defense
Selfie with president-elect causes uproar over soldiers' use of mobile phones
Posted : 2022-04-09 09:00
Updated : 2022-04-10 11:36
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) soldiers take selfies with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol during his visit to U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Courtesy of the office of the president-elect's spokesperson
Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) soldiers take selfies with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol during his visit to U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Courtesy of the office of the president-elect's spokesperson

By Nam Hyun-woo

A Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) soldiers' selfie with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has stirred up a fresh controversy, as a civic group has complained that KATUSA soldiers' use of mobile phones while on duty is unfair.

Yukdaejeon, a civic group that has been reporting incidents and problems in the Korean Army, posted a photo of Yoon and a group of KATUSA soldiers taking selfies with him using their mobile phones on its Facebook page and blog on Friday, saying that the practice is unfair because ordinary Army soldiers' mobile phone use is heavily controlled.

"Are KATUSA soldiers allowed to use their mobile phones during on-duty hours? And are they required to install on their phones security apps that prohibit taking photos? If so, why is the military banning other soldiers of the Army from using their mobile phones?" the post read.

President-elect Yoon visited U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, to meet U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera. During Yoon's visit, a number of KATUSA soldiers stationed there used their mobile phones to take selfies with Yoon.

Currently, soldiers doing their compulsory military service are allowed to use their smartphones only from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. While using their devices, they are required to install a mobile security application that prohibits them from taking photos and doing video calls.

The conditions of KATUSA soldiers have long been compared to those of others who are serving their mandatory military service at Korean military bases because KATUSA soldiers are allowed to serve in conditions similar to those of U.S. Forces Korea troops.

"If KATUSA soldiers' use of mobile phones is not a problem, it proves that there is no problem with other soldiers using their smartphones during on-duty hours either," the post read. "Since the president-elect is endorsing soldiers' use of mobile phones, we hope that there will be better policies to come."

On April 1, Yoon's presidential transition committee had a discussion with the Ministry of National Defense over extending the hours during which servicemen are permitted to use their smartphones.


Emailnamhw@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule
2Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weaponsOver 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons
3[ANALYSIS] Pandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation
4Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit
5Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches
6Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI
7Biohealth geared for growth Biohealth geared for growth
8Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence
9NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'
10Seoul mayor accuses liberals of leading nation in wrong direction Seoul mayor accuses liberals of leading nation in wrong direction
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects babySong Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity' Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'
3K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
4'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot 'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot
5Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group