[News Today] ARMY SOLDIER DIES IN ISOLATION

[LEAD]
It was belatedly found that a sergeant in his twenties died at the end of last year under mysterious circumstances while serving a solitary disciplinary sentence in substandard housing. Ten months later, the incident remains unresolved, prompting the bereaved family to voice their concerns over the lack of accountability and unresolved truth.

[REPORT]
This is the living quarters of a 21-year-old sergeant from the Defense Intelligence Agency who was found dead in November last year just one month before his discharge date.

The facility was used temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's located about 100m from the military unit barracks.

The soldier died while living in the facility alone as punishment for his involvement in an incident with one of his fellow servicemen.

According to fellow conscripts, he had to have meals alone every day and spent lonely nights in a cold and empty three-story facility.

On day 17 of isolation, the soldier was found dead, his body covered in a blanket.

On a day when the morning roll-call wasn't carried out, a senior ranking individual happened to stop by the facility and only then the military found out that the soldier has died.

An autopsy failed to identify the exact cause of his death.

The bereaved family claims the regulation limiting disciplinary confinement to 15 days was ignored.

They also blame the army unit of neglecting its duties by failing to check on the soldier.

The bereaved family is demanding that the case be investigated and those responsible be held liable.

The military police have investigated six individuals including the commander, but concluded there were no criminal acts committed and decided not to transfer the case to civilian police.

Huh Young / Nat'l Defense Committee (DP)
For 300 days nothing was explained to the bereaved family, including the cause of death and what happened. Nobody was punished. This case should be...

The Ministry of National Defense said military prosecutors are currently investigating the case and have begun a disciplinary procedure.

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