[News Today] MILITARY REQUESTS ENTRY INTO BOK

[LEAD]
KBS has uncovered that the elite 1st Special Forces Brigade, that entered the National Assembly during martial law, recently planned to deploy snipers to the Bank of Korea. This move, meant to inspect critical national facilities, has been deemed inappropriate in the current unresolved situation.

[REPORT]
The 1st Special Forces Brigade is an elite airborne unit carrying out anti-terrorism operations.

This was the unit that entered the National Assembly armed during martial law on December 3.

Soundbytes: Don't do this. Don't do this.

It has been found that it recently planned to get into the Bank of Korea's Gangnam headquarters in southern Seoul.

KBS obtained a document showing that on December 13, the brigade had asked the BOK to allow its entry for checking and phtographing the bank's key facilities.

It explained that it was to prepare for terrorism attacks, check key state facilities and update materials.

It even notified its plan to mobilize even shooters and bomb disposal technicians.

The BOK was baffled by the request.

It expressed reluctance, stating, counterterrorism inspections of facilities are typically conducted by local police or other military units and have already been completed.

Concerns have been raised that this does not appear to be a routine inspection. Also, amid the martial law's aftermath, unclear military entry requests are deemed inappropriate.

Lim Mi-ae / Democratic Party
The 1st Special Forces Brigade acting on tasks, it hasn’t undertaken before, raises suspicions about intent and could foreseeably lead to social unrest.

A military official explained that it was an annual inspection carried out on key state facilities, which was postponed amid the post-martial law situation.

As the security inspection plan has sparked controversy, the military has cancelled it.