89 army reserve force members fall ill, allegedly ordered to continue training

Eighty-nine members of the army reserve forces exercise reported symptoms of suspected food poisoning during training at a reserve forces facility in Seoul, according to the Army on Sunday. However, some say the affected reservists were still ordered to complete training despite showing signs of illness.

The symptoms appeared primarily among reservists who selected a specific lunch box menu on the first day of training on Monday. Despite complaints that there is “something wrong” with the food, lunch boxes from the same food supplier were served again the following day, according to participants.

The mass illness occurred during a reserve forces training exercise at a training center in Seocho District, southern Seoul, that ended Thursday.

Korea's reserve forces training program requires former service members to periodically return for military drills after completing active duty. The training is typically held once or twice a year and are intended to maintain combat readiness and includes exercises such as weapons training, tactical maneuvers and simulated battlefield operations.

“An epidemiological investigation is underway with health authorities and taking steps to determine the exact cause and prevent additional cases,” said the military on Tuesday, the second day of training.

The Army initially reported 48 symptomatic individuals, but the final tally rose to 89 by the end of the training period.

One participant, a 30-year-old reservist identified only by his surname Ahn, said symptoms appeared primarily among troops who selected the spicy stir-fried pork lunch box on the first day.

"I was still suffering from abdominal pain and diarrhea on the third day of training and asked if I could be excused," Ahn said. "But I was told they will prescribe anti-diarrheal medication and that I should complete the training. So I participated in everything, including live-fire exercises."

He also alleged that the unit initially planned to separate symptomatic personnel into their own group but later reversed course.

"But when we returned to training the next day, we were told that [the higher-ups] had decided ‘it would be better to proceed as normal.’"

The training unit later issued medical certificates to affected reservists, diagnosing them with "bacterial food poisoning of unspecified origin."

A JoongAng Ilbo investigation also found that lunch boxes from the same supplier were distributed again on the second day of training. The arrangement is believed to have resulted from an existing supply contract.

Complaints reportedly continued the second day, with some reservists saying they felt “unwell after eating.” The unit is said to have refunded meal expenses to the reservists who raised concerns.

Some reservists also protested being denied an exemption from training due to their symptoms. The officer in charge offered only a brief apology on the final day, saying that the unit “did not take proper care” of them, without providing any further explanation, according to participants.

“All cases were mild and there were no hospitalizations,” said the Army after concerns were raised. "We will take necessary measures once the cause has been identified.”

Investigators are expected to take approximately two weeks to determine the exact cause of the mass illness.

Similar incidents have occurred repeatedly at reserve forces training sites. In 2024, several reservists training at a military unit in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, reported symptoms of food poisoning. In 2023, student reservists at a unit in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, also became ill after lunch and triggered an epidemiological investigation.

BY IM SOUNG-BIN [[email protected]]