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6 officers referred for discipline in case of soldier's death in September

Published: 17 Nov. 2025, 13:43 Updated: 17 Nov. 2025, 19:26

Soldiers are seen at the Seoul Station on Jan. 1, 2025. [NEWS1]

IMSIL, North Jeolla — Two months into the investigation of the death of a soldier who fell from a building in September, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command referred six officers to a disciplinary committee after determining that the unit failed to properly manage personnel and operations.

The sergeant enlisted last year and was found dead around 5 a.m. on Sept. 18 in an apartment complex in Jinan County, about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from his unit in Imsil County, North Jeolla.

According to the Army and police on Monday, the criminal investigation unit of the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency is investigating whether there is a link between hazing in the unit and the sergeant’s death, after receiving the investigative dossier from the Army. The sergeant, who was scheduled to complete his service in December, left base without permission before his death. The unit did not realize he was missing until police identified him and contacted the military.

Army investigators concluded that the unit failed to properly monitor access to the base and manage daily life for enlistees, and found disciplinary action was warranted for six officers — including the unit commander, a colonel. Some officers initially told the sergeant’s family that he appeared to have taken his own life due to personal distress and claimed there had been no conflict inside the unit.

So far, police have booked only one noncommissioned officer (NCO) among the six officers facing disciplinary action. The family filed a complaint accusing the NCO of abuse of authority and intimidation, claiming the late sergeant had been severely scolded the previous day and threatened with disciplinary measures the next morning. Police are also reviewing whether to book four senior soldiers — including one who has since been discharged — who are suspected of bullying.

The sergeant reported hazing three times after being assigned to the unit as a private. The unit responded by transferring three perpetrators or separating them on base.

The funeral of Air Force Master Sgt. Lee Ye-ram, who died in May 2021 after sexual violence within the base, is held in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Sept. 13, 2022. [YONHAP]

On the day of his death, the sergeant sent a text to his parents saying he was sorry for not being able to adapt to military life. Chats stored on his phone included messages such as “the NCO is harassing me” and “the soldiers make me run errands like a phone charger deliverer,” suggesting continued mistreatment. The Army also secured testimony from former and current soldiers indicating that the entire unit froze him out.

The family says the case amounts to “a form of social killing that occurred within the military,” arguing that commanders and soldiers who participated in or tolerated the bullying must be held legally responsible. Some legal experts, however, say that unless there is evidence showing that commanders knowingly ignored or encouraged the hazing, applying charges such as dereliction of duty could be difficult.

A police official said, “Because the investigation is ongoing, we cannot disclose specifics,” adding that police will “leave all possibilities open and conduct a thorough investigation so that no unanswered questions remain.”

Following the death of Air Force Master Sgt. Lee Ye‑ram in May 2021, the Military Court Act was amended later that year. Since July 2022, deaths of service members, sexual crimes inside the military and offenses committed before enlistment by soldiers or civilian military employees have been investigated by civilian police, with trials also handled in civilian courts to protect the victim and maintain transparency.

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 KIM JUN-HEE [[email protected]]