Investigation launched as safety concerns rise over military drills near civilian areas
WEB DESK: South Korea has suspended all individual firearms training nationwide after a stray bullet struck a young girl at a playground in the southern city of Daegu, prompting a sweeping review of military safety procedures.
The child was playing outdoors on Monday when she was hit in the neck. Emergency responders rushed her to a nearby hospital, where doctors confirmed a bullet fragment had entered her wound. Officials said her injuries were not life-threatening, and she was discharged after treatment.
Military spokesperson Bae Seok-jin announced the suspension on Tuesday, stating that all live-fire drills involving individual weapons have been halted indefinitely. He confirmed that a firing exercise was taking place at a nearby range at the time of the incident.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine how the round left the designated training perimeter and reached a civilian area.
The incident has reignited public concern over the proximity of military installations to residential neighborhoods and the risk posed during live-fire exercises. It also adds to a series of past accidents that have raised questions about operational safety, including previous cases of stray rounds and training mishaps involving joint military drills.
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