Army Confirms Inappropriate Conduct
Vows Strict Action in Accordance with the Law
Lieutenant General Park Jungtaek, commander of the Army Capital Corps, who is facing allegations of abuse of power, has been temporarily reassigned.
On May 12, the Army announced, "As a result of an inspection and investigation into the allegations against a certain corps commander, we confirmed inappropriate conduct and have taken measures to separate him from his duties as of today." Previously, the Army Headquarters' inspection team had conducted an on-site investigation into Commander Park.
The Center for Military Human Rights Korea held a press conference on April 29, revealing that Commander Park and his family had issued unfair personal instructions to staff members of his office. The center disclosed related messages and audio files. Specifically, it was alleged that Commander Park instructed secretarial staff to apply on behalf of his wife for swimming lessons, required them to drive and check the number of guests at his child's wedding, guide guests to their seats, carry luggage, act as intermediaries in secondhand transactions for his personal hobbies, and secure tickets for sports games.
The Center for Military Human Rights Korea particularly claimed that Commander Park targeted non-commissioned officers, rather than officers, for his abuse of power. The center stated, "The commander of the Capital Corps refrained from giving personal instructions when several secretarial staff members were present in his office, but made unreasonable requests only when alone with non-commissioned officers. This shows he was clearly aware that such personal instructions could become problematic if they became known externally."
The Army stated, "We will strictly proceed with follow-up procedures in accordance with laws and regulations."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
