Long-delayed funeral of soldier bullied to death highlights Korean military's toxic culture of abuse

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Long-delayed funeral of soldier bullied to death highlights Korean military's toxic culture of abuse

Published: 31 Oct. 2025, 13:20

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Private Kim Sang-hyeon, who took his own life on Nov. 28, 2022, following months of abuse at a frontline Army post, is seen in this photo provided by his family [JOONGANG ILBO]

When Private Kim Sang-hyeon took his own life on Nov. 28, 2022, after enduring a month of violence and abuse from his superiors at a frontline outpost, his hands and arms were covered with what he wrote down as "rules" to remember in his best efforts to avoid being bullied. Three years passed by as Kim's family finally decided to hold his funeral this week, but the pain of losing a child is still very much alive for Kim's parents.

At the Armed Forces Capital Hospital funeral hall on Tuesday, Kim Ki-choel recalled the state of his son’s body during the autopsy.

“Both his arms and the backs of his hands were covered with rules he had written in ballpoint pen, like the secret code and the times for sunrise and sunset, because they tormented him if he couldn’t remember them,” said Kim.

The perpetrators — including officers and senior enlisted soldiers — verbally abused Kim, saying things such as “I’ll shoot you,” and mocked him for his poor Korean, as he had previously studied in China, according to investigations by the prosecution, police and the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command.

They also forced him to memorize a so-called “33-note,” a notebook containing all the rules of the guard post. The words were found inscribed across his arms, like lines from a punishment notebook.

A delayed funeral for Private Kim began Tuesday and continued for three days — nearly 1,060 days after his death. His family had postponed the ceremony while pressing for a full investigation. They finally decided to hold it after the Defense Ministry recognized his death as a line-of-duty case in March and agreed to build a memorial near the site.

At the funeral hall, a portrait of Kim Sang-hyeon wearing a bright blue T-shirt — his youthful face still gentle and smiling — hung at the front. Many visitors in uniform came to pay their respects. Kim’s father remained expressionless throughout, while his mother and older brother wiped away tears again and again.

A funeral altar for Private Kim Sang-hyeon, who took his own life on Nov. 28, 2022, following months of abuse at a frontline Army post, is seen at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 28. [LEE AH-MI]

‘There are no ranks in death’

“My boy did everything a daughter would have done,” Kim’s father said softly.

Kim was affectionate, his father recalled — he enjoyed watching cartoons with his mother and brother. Since the incident, Kim’s mother has struggled with depression and has been taking psychiatric medication for two years. She began sleepwalking at night, during which she would stand on the veranda and just stare silently into thin air.

“It feels like our whole family is falling apart,” his father said. “There are moments every day when I want to give up, but then I go to see my son in the morgue and tell myself, ‘I’ll keep going as long as I can.’”

The late Private Kim Sang-hyeon's father, Kim Gi-cheol, sits by his son's funeral altar at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 28. [LEE AH-MI]

In March, the Defense Ministry classified Kim’s death as a Type 3 line-of-duty death. Under the Military Personnel Act, there are three categories. Type 3 applies when a service member dies while performing duties not directly related to defending the state. Most suicides in the military are designated as Type 3 cases, except for exceptional ones such as the case of Air Force Master Sergeant Lee Ye-ram, which was classified as Type 2.

“It’s insulting even to have to argue that my son’s death deserves a higher grade,” Kim Gi-cheol said. “There are no grades in death. For the bereaved, every death is the same.”

A memorial for Private Kim Sang-hyeon, reading ″Respect″ and ″Consideration,″ is seen in front of the general outpost of the Army’s 52nd Infantry Brigade under the 12th Division on Oct. 29. [YONHAP]

A memorial for 'Respect' and 'Consideration'

Earlier Tuesday morning, a memorial unveiling took place in front of the 52nd Infantry Brigade, 12th Division's outpost in Inje County, Gangwon, where Private Kim Sang-hyeon had died. The family requested that the memorial serve as a reminder of human rights violations within the military.

The stone bears two words: “Respect” and “Consideration.” The funeral service scheduled for Thursday was led by the commander of the Third Corps — upgraded from the 12th Division commander after the case was raised during a recent parliamentary audit.

On Oct. 24, the Chuncheon District Court upheld the original prison sentences for the three soldiers convicted of insulting, threatening and coercing Kim. The appellate division dismissed the appeals filed by the defendants, surnamed Kim, Min and Song, who had been sentenced to six, four, and six months in prison, respectively.

The Military Human Rights Center Korea condemned the sentences as too lenient.

“Given the gravity of driving a victim to death through sustained threats and the broader social implications, these punishments are far too light,” the center said. “Only when perpetrators receive penalties proportionate to their crimes can the military culture — still focused on concealment rather than accountability — begin to change.”

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE AH-MI [[email protected]]