Seoul: The Air Force has been criticized for its loose enforcement of sobriety rules, as revealed by the Board of Audit and Inspection. This laxity allowed some air traffic controllers to perform their duties despite having blood-alcohol levels above the permissible limit last year, allegedly due to testing errors.

According to Yonhap News Agency, a regular audit of the Air Force disclosed that 33 percent of air traffic control personnel did not undergo sobriety tests in August of the previous year. Additionally, from February to August, nine controllers worked with blood-alcohol levels at or exceeding the threshold of 0.02 percent, with testing errors cited as justification for their continued duty.

Pilots were permitted to conduct their own sobriety tests without supervision, while maintenance staff were expected to self-certify their sobriety without formal testing. The state auditor cautioned that such inadequate enforcement of safety regulations poses a risk to aviation safety.

The audit also identified other safety concerns, including the placement of localizers on concrete structures 120 centimeters above ground at five air bases. These localizers, crucial for guiding aircraft to the runway center, were linked to the catastrophic 2024 plane crash at Muan International Airport. The crash, attributed to a belly landing and subsequent collision with the structure, resulted in the deaths of 179 passengers and crew members as the aircraft burst into flames upon impact.