'Training Soldier Death Recurrence Prevention Act' Petition Surpasses 50,000 Signatures... Now It's the National Assembly's Turn to Respond

"Cultural Practices Tolerated Because of the Military Must Now Be Broken"

Last month, a trainee in the Army Eulji Unit (12th Division) died while undergoing military discipline training (Eolcharyeo), and more than 50,000 people have agreed to a national petition demanding legislation to prevent recurrence.

On the 14th, the petition titled "Petition for Regulations and Legislation to Prevent Recurrence of the Death Incident of a Trainee in the 12th Infantry Division" posted on the National Assembly's National Agreement Petition Board has currently reached 56,320 agreements, meeting the petition establishment requirements. It has been only a week since the petition was posted on the 7th. Accordingly, the petition will be forwarded to the relevant committee for review. If a national agreement petition receives more than 50,000 agreements within 30 days, it becomes subject to committee review, and if passed by the plenary session, the National Assembly or government must take action.

Petitioner: "The Right to Refuse Illegal Military Discipline Training Must Be Guaranteed"

The petitioner, Eunmo, pointed out in the petition, "The reason the trainee in the 12th Division died is that this was clearly an illegal harsh act violating the Army's military discipline training regulations, yet the person carrying out the harsh act was a company commander with a high rank, and other military personnel and officers either ignored or condoned it. The deceased trainee was in a position where he could do nothing against the unreasonable orders of the company commander."

He continued, "As a result of this incident, when illegal military discipline training that violates regulations and laws is attempted, military officers and personnel must actively prevent it. When ordered to conduct illegal military discipline training, the ordered soldier must have the clear right to refuse and disobey. Laws and regulations must be established to ensure that soldiers who refuse and disobey unjust military discipline orders do not suffer disadvantages."

He also emphasized, "This incident involved torture-like harsh acts carried out without following regulations, violations of military discipline training regulations, ignoring prior health checks, neglecting abnormal signs during Eolcharyeo, and failure to perform emergency evacuation in the shortest time. The wrong culture of tolerating clearly illegal acts just because it is the military must now be broken."

Trainee Who Died During Eolcharyeo Showed Symptoms Similar to 'Rhabdomyolysis'

[Image source=Kookmin Dongui Petition website]

Earlier, on the 23rd of last month at around 5:20 p.m., one of six trainees undergoing military discipline training at the 12th Division Recruit Training Center in Inje-gun, Gangwon Province, collapsed. The collapsed trainee was transported to a civilian hospital for treatment but his condition worsened, and he died two days later. At the time, the trainee was reportedly carrying full military gear, marching around the training ground, and even doing push-ups. As a result, the deceased trainee showed symptoms suspected to be 'rhabdomyolysis,' such as torn leg ligament muscles turning dark blue and passing black urine. Currently, the company commander and deputy company commander who ordered the Eolcharyeo are under investigation as suspects by the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency.