MOON SUMMONS MILITARY OFFICIALS

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in summoned senior military officials on Wednesday over a COVID-19 mass outbreak at the Cheonghae Unit. He also ordered the military to discuss with Washington North Korea’s demand to cancel the upcoming joint military exercises.

[Pkg]

President Moon Jae-in said the country's military needs to regain public trust following a series of scandals including the COVID-19 mass outbreak at the Cheonghae Unit and a sexual harassment case in the Air Force.

[Soundbite] Park Kyung-mi(Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson) : "The president urged the military to exert effort to regain public trust following several compromising incidents recently."

The president said the mass outbreak at the Cheonghae Unit has caused a great deal of concern for the general public. He stressed, however, that the unit has accomplished its missions successfully and the troops’ morale should not be undermined. Defense Minister Suh Wook said 95 percent of South Korean troops stationed overseas have been vaccinated, and only vaccinated servicemen will be dispatched overseas from this point on. Regarding the sexual harassment case in the Air Force, the president pointed out problems in both preventing and handling the matter. Mentioning false reporting and attempts to cover up the case, Moon ordered the military to devise a set of stern measures against sex crimes. He also urged measures regarding the heat wave.

[Soundbite] "The president ordered to closely monitor the situation and suspend training or swiftly prepare for emergencies when temperatures rise to a certain level."

As for North Korean leader's sister Kim Yo-jong's demand to cancel the upcoming South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, Moon ordered the military to discuss the matter prudently with Washington.