A civic group has called for a thorough investigation into the death of an army trainee who collapsed and died while undergoing military disciplinary training at a military base in Inje, Gangwon Province.
According to Newsis, on the 27th, the Center for Military Human Rights Korea (CMHRK) stated, “Based on the reports we received, this tragic incident occurred because of the commanding officer’s negligence as he was aware of the trainee’s abnormal condition but still pushed him into rigorous training.” They added, “A thorough investigation is needed as the soldier died due to the excessive disciplinary training without considering the health condition.”
The contents of the tip-off received by the CMHRK were also disclosed.
According to the reports, on the evening of the 23rd, six trainees at a base in Inje, Gangwon Province, were made to undergo military discipline training, which involved marching around the barracks with full gear for making noise at night.
A reference photo to aid understanding of the article / News1
Disciplinary punishment (culture) is physical and mental conditioning to establish military discipline.
At the time, other trainees who noticed one trainee’s poor complexion reported it to the officer in charge, but the punishment continued without intervention.
Shortly after, the trainee in question collapsed and lost consciousness. He was urgently transported to a hospital for treatment. Still, his condition worsened, and sadly, he was reported to have passed away on the afternoon of the 25th, two days after the incident.
The CMHRK stated, “We must ascertain who ordered and supervised the excessive punishment. There should also be health examinations before the military discipline training.” They added, “If these matters are proven true or problematic, the military base needs to explain why they kept quiet until the night of the 26th, despite the incident occurring on the 23rd and the trainee’s death on the 25th.”
Earlier, the Army explained, “We didn’t immediately announce the news because the bereaved family didn’t want to inform the media. However, we decided to disclose the truth as incorrect information was posted on social media.”
The military is investigating the cause of the accident, including whether the military discipline training was conducted according to regulations and procedures in cooperation with civilian police.
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