Navy Submarine Narrow and Choking Than

Navy Submarine Narrow and Choking Than Prison, Severely Exited Crews
As more and more submarine crew members, the Navy’s core power, leave under poor working conditions, it has been pointed out that there is an urgent need for drastic treatment improvement.

According to data submitted by Hwang Hee (Democratic Party of Korea) from the Navy on the 23rd, the number of submarine crew members discharged and disqualified has been steadily increasing recently.

In particular, it is quite worrisome considering that a total of 241 people have been discharged from the military (elimination of early discharge and boarding qualifications) over the past three years, including 90 in 2022, 71 in 2023, and 80 in 2024.

The main cause of such manpower outflow is ‘inflammation of service’ due to poor working conditions and insufficient compensation systems.

Submarine crew members carry out missions in a long-term state of tension in the danger of hundreds of meters underwater in an enclosed space completely cut off from the outside for about three to four weeks in one operational mission.

The daily routine covers an average of 12 hours a day, including 8 hours on duty and 4 hours of training and maintenance, and privacy is hardly guaranteed even during breaks due to the narrow and open living space.

The sanitary environment is also serious. One toilet must be used by 15 to 25 people, and the residential area per person is 1.2 pyeong for Sonwon-class submarines and 1.1 pyeong for Jang Bogo-class, which is inferior to the minimum design standard for prison solitary confinement (1.63 pyeong, law-abiding facility standard).

Due to the lack of beds, “Hot Bunking,” in which three crew members alternately use two beds, is common.
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the indoor air is 8.3 times that of the atmosphere and 2.9 times that of nitrogen monoxide, and chronic fatigue and headaches are frequently complained.

Mental stress is also severe. According to a study conducted by Yonsei University in 2019, the stress index of submarine crew members was generally higher than that of the floating ship crew, proving poor mental health.

Representative Hwang Hee said, “The submarine crew is an essential strategic asset of the Navy and a key manpower, and it is a professional manpower that invests tens of millions of won in education per person per year to train.”