norwegian soldier [사진=노르웨이 언론 ‘더 로컬’]
The Norwegian army, which suffered a setback in the supply of munitions due to the global supply chain crisis caused by the Corona 19 (novel coronavirus infection) pandemic (a global pandemic), launched a ‘give back underwear’ campaign for conscripts.
According to the British daily The Guardian on the 11th (local time), the Norwegian Ministry of Defense recently ordered discharged soldiers to “return socks, bras, and underwear such as panties for new recruits.” This is due to the prolonged shortage of supplies due to the closure of military factories and delays in delivery of supplies due to COVID-19.
The Guardian, citing the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, reported that “initially, voluntary return of underwear was encouraged, but due to the deepening supply chain crisis, it is now mandatory.”
Norstad Finberg, a spokesman for the Norwegian Army, told the military magazine Porsvarez Forum, “(returned) garments are cleaned and inspected for quality. .
The Porsvarrec Forum reported that even in June 2020, a third of soldiers were not properly supplied with clothing and military equipment. According to the forum, a local military official said that the shortage of inner clothing arose even a year ago, and that last fall, the largest and smallest sizes of military boots were nowhere to be found.
Dissatisfaction erupted among Norwegian soldiers who were forced to wear used underwear. In an interview with NRK, conscript representative Erik Johele Eiksund said, “Soldiers who were given only one pair of socks for the entire period of service are living in the cold northern provinces with hole-in-the-wall socks. It will go crazy,” he criticized.
Norway is a member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), which borders Russia, and introduced the men’s and women’s conscription system in 2015. About 8,000 new recruits enlist each year and usually serve 12 to 19 months.
Reporter Kang Kyung-joo, Hankyung.com qurasoha@hankyung.com
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