Watchdog says soldiers in disciplinary sessions should be allowed to use mobile phones, stores

SEOUL, The state human rights watchdog said Tuesday that even soldiers undergoing disciplinary sessions should be allowed to use mobile phones and on-base stores. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea said it made the recommendation to the Army chief of staff after paying visits to Army units in November and looked into the living conditions of soldiers under discipline sessions. During the visits, watchdog officials found that soldiers undergoing discipline training could not access their mobile phones or on-base stores, known as PX, nor watch television, smoke or exercise. The soldiers were also not informed of the procedure to file a petition in case of a human rights violation. Military disciplinary sessions have emerged as a hot issue after a trainee soldier died last month after collapsing during a disciplinary session in which he was reportedly ordered to run around the unit's training ground in full combat gear and do push-ups in full gear as well. His commanders are under a police invest igation. Source: Yonhap News Agency