Surviving Soldier Tears Up in First Call Saying "I Couldn't Catch Corporal Chae"
"It's Past Time for Division Commander to Apologize," Claims Negligence Causing Injury Charge
Corporal Chae Mo, who was swept away by a rapid current and died while searching for a missing person in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk, and a surviving soldier who was involved in the accident at the time are reportedly suffering from severe trauma.
On the 13th, the mother of Sergeant A, who was rescued after being swept away by the rapid current along with the late Corporal Chae, announced that she would file a complaint with the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division against Im Seong-geun, commander of the 1st Marine Division, on charges of professional negligence causing injury and abuse of authority.
At a press conference held at the Military Human Rights Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul, A Sergeant’s mother appealed, saying, "I don't even want to call it an accident. This is an act of murder," and added, "A military that cannot trust its commanders cannot protect the Republic of Korea."
Sergeant A was deployed in July to search for a missing person in Naeseongcheon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk. According to the Military Human Rights Center, Sergeant A was swept away by the rapid current along with Corporal Chae while trying to rescue other comrades who had fallen into the water first. They were reportedly carried about 50 meters downstream before being rescued.
Currently, Sergeant A has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is undergoing inpatient treatment. The surviving soldier’s mother said that during their first phone call after the accident, her son cried and said, "Mom, I couldn’t hold onto Corporal Chae."
Sergeant A’s mother raised her voice, saying, "I feel not just disappointed but betrayed by the current situation," and asked, "What has the Marine Corps done for the children who lost Corporal Chae, who was like a brother to them?" She further criticized, "Since the accident, there has been no apology or visit from the division commander or the Marine Corps, and the time to apologize has long passed."
In this regard, the Military Human Rights Center claimed that the rescued soldiers were left on the sandy shore for a long time immediately after the accident, were ordered to write statements as soon as they returned to their quarters, and the next day, they met with Corporal Chae’s bereaved family in the presence of officers, which prevented them from honestly sharing their accident experiences. They emphasized that necessary measures for the surviving soldiers were not taken.
They also claimed that Commander Im never visited Sergeant A and the other soldiers involved in the accident, and that trauma treatment for the surviving soldiers consisted only of group education sessions. The Military Human Rights Center criticized, "Although all soldiers swept away by the rapid current are clear victims of this incident, the 1st Marine Division neither investigates nor even recognizes them as victims."
Attorney Kang Seok-min, representing the complainant, explained the reason for filing charges against Commander Im for professional negligence causing injury and abuse of authority, stating, "Commander Im, who gave the order to enter the water, is at fault, and since Sergeant A’s right to health was infringed during the mission, the crime of abuse of authority is also established."
Initially, the Marine Corps investigation team in charge of the death case of Corporal Chae handed over the case to the Gyeongbuk Police Agency, charging eight people including Commander Im with professional negligence causing death. However, after re-examining the case, the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters forwarded it to the police last month on the 24th, indicting only two battalion commanders.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
