The military and police have launched an investigation after the bereaved family of an Army sergeant, who was found dead two months before his discharge, filed a complaint alleging that he had been subjected to severe abuse within his unit.
The North Jeolla Provincial Police Agency announced on October 12 that a complaint regarding abuse of authority and intimidation by personnel at the unit where the deceased Sergeant A (21) served was recently filed with the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The police stated that they are currently discussing with the military whether the case should be transferred.
Sergeant A, who was assigned to an Army unit in Imsil County, was found dead around 5 a.m. on September 18 at an apartment complex in Jinan County.
At the time of discovery, Sergeant A was wearing his military uniform and had no known ties to Jinan County, which raised further suspicions about the circumstances of his death.
It was reported that just before his death, Sergeant A sent text messages to those around him describing the difficulties he faced during his military service.
If the police receive the case from the Army Criminal Investigation Division, they plan to investigate the possibility that Sergeant A was subjected to collective ostracism, known as "gisu-yeolwe" within the unit, or threats from military personnel during his service.
An official from the North Jeolla Provincial Police Agency stated, "Since the complaint concerns an incident that occurred within the unit, we are coordinating investigative matters with the Army Criminal Investigation Division. If the case is transferred to the police, we will proceed with questioning those involved."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
