Arrest warrant issued for company commanders over recruit’s death during disciplinary training

A district court issued an arrest warrant for two Army company commanders Friday over the death of a trainee soldier following a session of demanding disciplinary training last month. The suspects are accused of ordering six recruits from a unit to undergo a disciplinary session in Inje County, 126 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on May 23, in violation of relevant training rules, resulting in the death of one conscript. The soldier was taken to a civilian hospital after collapsing during the training but died two days later. The recruit, who joined the Army on May 13, was reportedly ordered to run around the unit's training ground and do push-ups in full combat gear, despite relevant rules banning such demanding training in full gear. The Chuncheon District Court granted the arrest warrant request for the company commander and deputy commander after just three hours of deliberation, citing the risk of destroying evidence. The company commander remained tight-lipped to reporters' questions as she appeare d before the court, and the deputy commander, who showed up shortly afterward, simply said he was "sorry." Source: Yonhap News Agency