Prosecutors upgrade charges against two officers involved in soldier's death

Prosecutors on Monday indicted with detention two military officers involved in the death of a trainee soldier on charges of death by cruelty and power abuse.

A first lieutenant walks out of Chuncheon District Court in Gangwon in June after completing a questioning session for an arrest warrant. [NEWS1]

Prosecutors on Monday indicted with detention two military officers involved in the death of a trainee soldier on charges of death by cruelty and power abuse.

The Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office upgraded the charges from occupational negligence to power abuse and death by cruelty. Prosecutors say that the officers’ offenses were intentional abuse that resulted in death.

The 27-year-old captain and 25-year-old first lieutenant from the Army’s 12th Division in Gangwon were accused of ordering six soldiers to participate in an excessive disciplinary drill on May 23. This resulted in one soldier collapsing during the session, with his condition continuing to worsen until he died two days later.

With the upgraded charges, the two suspects could now face sentences of between three and 30 years in prison.

The prosecutors comprehensively assessed various factors and specific circumstances. These included when and how the drill was given to the six soldiers, as well as weather conditions and participants' physical conditions.

On May 23, the first lieutenant notified the captain that the six conscripts had chatted loudly after their daily bed check the previous day, receiving permission to order the punitive drill, according to the investigative authority.

Although officers should give trainee soldiers an opportunity to clarify their situations before ordering such a drill, they did not abide by the rule. Also, the soldiers' physical conditions and temperatures were not thoroughly checked at the training site.

At around 4:26 p.m. on May 23, the first lieutenant ordered the soldiers to walk along a military track twice while carrying a heavy load of books packed into their gear. The soldiers were also holding weapons during the drill.

The captain, who showed up later, also ordered the soldiers in full kit to jog around the track and do push-ups.

The now-deceased soldier fainted at around 5:11 p.m. and was pronounced dead at a hospital at around 3 p.m. on May 25.

The victim died of heatstroke-induced multiple organ failure, according to an autopsy report from the National Forensic Service.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]