A soldier keeps watch with a K-6 heavy machine gun. [Ministry of National Defense]
A soldier keeps watch with a K-6 heavy machine gun. [Ministry of National Defense]

The Army's 1st Corps, which oversees the western front, has been conducting guard operations at general outposts (GOP) and frontline guard posts (GP) without live rounds loaded in its K-6 heavy machine guns, it has emerged. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it would conduct an on-site investigation and take necessary action.

According to military authorities Wednesday, the 1st Corps changed its guidelines earlier this year to have soldiers stand guard at GP and GOP posts with the K-6 heavy machine gun unloaded, keeping an ammunition box with live rounds placed beside the weapon instead.

The K-6 is the largest-caliber firearm in the South Korean military's inventory, capable of firing 12.7mm rounds at a rate of 600 rounds per minute, with an effective range of about 1.8 kilometers.

The weapon is a crew-served firearm deployed at frontline posts for its heavy firepower and long range. Under previous guard duty guidelines, soldiers were required to keep a belt of live ammunition loaded at all times to enable an immediate response to any sudden incident.

The 1st Corps did not explain why it changed the guidelines to leave the K-6 unloaded, but the move is believed to be a precaution against accidental discharges.

In practice, accidental discharges of loaded K-6 machine guns have occurred periodically at frontline GOP and GP posts. Each time, the military has notified North Korean forces of the incident through public address announcements directed across the border.

However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which commands all military operations, said it had been unaware of the 1st Corps' change to its guard duty guidelines.

"The current principle for firearm operations at frontline areas, including GP and GOP posts, is to keep live rounds loaded," a Joint Chiefs official said. "We plan to conduct on-site checks on units operating under exceptions and take necessary measures."


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