Last month, a soldier in training tragically passed away two days after collapsing during military training. The cause of death was multiple organ failure due to septic shock.
The Military Human Rights Center held a press conference in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 12th. They revealed the soldier’s medical records, including the death certificate from Gangneung Asan Hospital. The direct cause of death was septic shock with multiple organ failure, as listed in the death certificate. The septic shock resulted from a heatstroke.
After receiving an IV drop during emergency treatment at the unit to lower his temperature, the soldier was transferred to Sokcho Medical Center. Unfortunately, his condition worsened so he was transferred to Gangneung Asan Hospital three hours later while unconscious.
The center pointed out that the initial response was inappropriate when the soldier collapsed. Director Im Tae Hoon said, “The soldier’s family was told that there were no records when they asked for medical records on the 11th.” He added, “This is a clear violation of current laws as if he was transferred to the out-of-unit medical center, they were required to record such emergencies.” He then emphasized, “A thorough investigation is needed to accurately understand the initial situation of the incident.”
Furthermore, Im pointed out that the fact that the perpetrator accompanied the soldier to the hospital was another huge problem. This is because there is a high possibility that the commander downplayed the situation when reporting the incident to hide the abuse. Im urged, “The police need to investigate whether the commander was the initial reporter to the authorities and if those reports are reliable. It is also important to know if the soldier went through high-intensity training with full military uniform, which seems to be the cause of death.”
Most Commented