Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) today vowed to improve firearm safety instruction, after a conscript fired a shot in the bathroom of a training base the day before.
The army’s 109th Brigade reported a firearm discharge yesterday morning, after a conscript surnamed Lee (李) fired a blank cartridge in the bathroom of a training base in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township (湖口).
While no injuries were reported, it did lead to questions about why and how a recruit was carrying bullets, which are regulated.
Photo: Taipei Times
When questioned by his unit, Lee said that he found the bullet at the firing range and did not turn it in.
Koo was asked about the incident by reporters before attending a legislative session to discuss the central government’s budget proposals.
Rifles are issued according to combat training needs, and although it is not a problem to always carry one, personnel must improve military discipline and understanding of firearm safety, Koo said.
It is standard for personnel on bases to carry weapons to better simulate combat scenarios, he said, adding that the rifle was not stolen, and Lee found a blank training cartridge and fired it at the ground in the bathroom.
The US Army follows similar procedures in allowing soldiers to keep their weapons on their person, he said, but added that greater efforts are necessary to improve firearm safety, discipline and awareness.
The Sixth Army Corps has formed a task force to determine culpability and responsibility, including determining if any laws were broken, he added.
Although the incident occurred in Hsinchu County, the unit is based out of Yangmei District (楊梅) in Taoyuan.
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