Death of a 20-Year-Old Trainee Running on the Third Day of Enlistment

Army Trainee Dies 3 Days After Enlistment
Lost Consciousness During Group Running and Passed Away
Army and Police Investigate Cause and Circumstances of Death
"Excessive Running Should Be Prohibited for Trainees Whose Physical Strength Is Not Yet Fully Developed"

A trainee soldier belonging to an army unit in Gyeongnam lost consciousness and died while jogging just three days after enlistment.

According to Yonhap News Agency, at around 7:30 a.m. on the 21st, a trainee in his early 20s, identified as A, collapsed after losing consciousness during group jogging following morning roll call at an army unit located in Haman-gun, Gyeongnam. Trainee A received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from a superior on site and was transported by a 119 ambulance to a nearby hospital, but died around 6 p.m. that day during treatment.

Trainee A was confirmed to have enlisted on the 19th. A military official explained that before the group jogging, the health status of each trainee was checked, and only those capable of jogging participated. The jogging was conducted normally under the supervision of a drill instructor (non-commissioned officer) at the recruit training center, and no abnormalities were reported.

The army is currently verifying the number of trainees during the jogging and the total distance covered. The army and police are investigating the exact cause of death, circumstances, and whether there were any issues with the handling of the incident.

As incidents of trainees dying during jogging training continue to occur, there are calls to prohibit excessive jogging for trainees whose physical strength has not yet been sufficiently developed. Previously, on August 30, Private B collapsed after losing consciousness during morning jogging at an army unit in Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province. Private B was transported to a hospital by the dispatched 119 emergency team but ultimately passed away. It was confirmed that the unit conducted group jogging for physical training in the morning to avoid the midday heat, applying the hot weather regulations.