"Son, You Don't Have to Stand Night Watch"…Will 'CCTV' Replace a Tradition Once Deemed Essential Due to Frequent Incidents?

Ministry of National Defense Revises Unit Management Regulations
Current Regulations Require Night Guards in Pairs
Authority Given to Units with Alternative Systems to Decide Night Guard Assignment

It appears that in the future, soldiers may no longer be required to stand night watch duty in military units.

On July 23, the Ministry of National Defense announced an administrative notice for a partial revision to the "Unit Management Directive," which will be open for public comment until August 10. The revised directive states that if the purpose of night watch duty can be achieved through alternative verification systems—such as security cameras (CCTV) used for perimeter defense or unit management, and patrols—commanders at the battalion level or higher may decide whether to dispense with night watch assignments.

CCTV. Pixabay

Under current regulations, night watch duty is typically performed by pairs of two soldiers. Each shift lasts at least one hour and no more than two hours. The duty is performed from immediately after evening roll call until the next morning's reveille, either in the living quarters or at a location designated by the commander. The directive specifies that those on watch must monitor both the interior and exterior of the building and are prohibited from leaving their assigned positions, sitting, or smoking while on duty.

In most Army units, two additional soldiers aside from the duty officer and duty NCO are assigned specifically to night watch duty. The main purpose is to prevent incidents and accidents, and to check the number of soldiers present so the unit can respond immediately in the event of a desertion or emergency.

At the harsh winter joint announcement and integrated firepower operation training held at Seungjin Training Center in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, soldiers are conducting combat training after disembarking from armored vehicles. Pocheon – Photo by Kang Jinhyung

In contrast, after initial assignment, the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps typically do not have separate soldiers on night watch. Usually, the duty officer also carries out the night watch responsibilities, and there is no separate night watch made up solely of enlisted personnel. This reflects the Army's characteristics, where such incidents are more frequent. However, observers note that this revision to the directive could lead to the significant reduction or even elimination of night watch duty in the Army.

There are reportedly already cases in the Army where night watch duty has been eliminated using CCTV. For example, the 23rd Security Brigade last year consolidated soldier living areas into a single floor and installed CCTV, which allowed for the discontinuation of night watch duty.

It is known, however, that there are no plans to abolish night watch duty across all military units at once. Each unit must assess whether alternatives such as CCTV and patrols can effectively replace the traditional watch. If the alternative verification system is insufficient, or if the specific tasks and security circumstances of a unit require it, night watch duty may continue to be assigned as before.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.