707 Unit Commander Confesses: ‘I Failed My Soldiers, and I’ll Accept the Consequences’

Colonel Kim Hyun Tae, commander of the 707 Special Mission Battalion under the Army Special Warfare Command, held a press conference on Monday to address allegations involving his unit. He declared that the members of the 707 unit were victims exploited by former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun and stated, “I will take full responsibility for any legal consequences.”

Despite his classified status, Colonel Kim faced the cameras at the War Memorial. He explained, “I wanted to testify before the National Assembly’s Defense Committee but wasn’t given the chance. That’s why I’m here today. I am an incompetent and irresponsible commander. I put my unit in harm’s way. In a real combat situation, all my soldiers would have been killed.”

Kim continued, his voice breaking, “My soldiers are suffering greatly. Their wives and children are walking on eggshells around them.”

He pleaded, “The public needs to understand that the 707 unit members are all victims. They are the most unfortunate casualties of former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun’s actions. If the soldiers are guilty of anything, it’s following the orders of an incompetent commander. Please forgive them.”

Kim expressed his willingness to bear the consequences, saying, “I will shoulder all responsibility for the mistakes made by the 707 unit. I’ll face any legal repercussions head-on. As a soldier in a democratic nation governed by the rule of law, I will accept full accountability for my actions and voluntarily leave the military I love.”

When questioned about orders to arrest politicians, Kim clarified that they did not receive such directives. “The then Special Warfare Commander suggested, ‘We must prevent 150 lawmakers from gathering. Stop them, and if that fails, can you enter and remove them?’ I responded that breaching the National Assembly would be challenging and that I couldn’t take such a risky action,” he said.

In closing remarks, Kim fought back tears and said, “I apologize, and this may sound brazen, but if the 707 unit is jeopardized and many members leave, it will deeply sadden our citizens. As a soldier, I implore the public to help prevent a crisis in our military due to the current atmosphere.”