DistantNews
Support us
Army officer sent to prosecutors for forcing soldier into push-ups, causing rhabdomyolysis
🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

Army officer sent to prosecutors for forcing soldier into push-ups, causing rhabdomyolysis

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • An army officer has been transferred to military prosecutors for allegedly forcing a soldier to perform excessive push-ups, leading to rhabdomyolysis.
  • The soldier reportedly experienced severe pain and dark urine after being compelled to do nearly 100 push-ups with the officer applying pressure from his back.
  • The incident has drawn public attention and calls for severe punishment, with the victim's family submitting a petition signed by over 4,500 people.

An officer in the South Korean Army's 15th Division has been sent to military prosecutors on charges of abuse of power and causing injury through assault. The officer, a staff sergeant, allegedly forced a private first class to perform nearly 100 push-ups under duress in a physical training room on March 9. The soldier reported extreme pain in his arms and passed dark, cola-colored urine, later diagnosed as rhabdomyolysis, a condition where muscle tissue breaks down rapidly.

Don't just do it halfway, get down.

— Staff SergeantAllegedly said to the soldier while forcing him to do push-ups.

According to reports, the soldier pleaded to stop multiple times, expressing his distress and stating that the situation was "not right." However, the staff sergeant allegedly continued the exercise, even gripping the soldier's back with his activity uniform top and applying pressure while the soldier pushed up and down. The soldier was hospitalized for two weeks to treat the condition, which caused his creatine kinase levels to soar to 77,380, hundreds of times the normal range.

I am too tired, officer.

— Private First ClassSoldier's plea to stop the excessive exercise.

The case, initially handled by a local military investigation unit, was transferred to the main investigation team in June due to significant public interest and social impact following media reports. Military police concluded that the charges were substantiated based on statements from unit personnel and the victim's medical records. The victim's family has actively sought justice, submitting a petition with over 4,500 signatures collected both online and offline to the Ministry of National Defense, urging a thorough investigation and severe punishment.

This is not right.

— Private First ClassSoldier's plea to stop the excessive exercise.

This incident has also drawn attention from high-ranking officials. President Lee Jae-myung commented on the case during a State Council meeting in June, expressing public concern about "outdated military customs like unreasonable disciplinary exercises" and ordering a detailed on-site inspection of human rights violations within the military. The case highlights ongoing concerns about harsh disciplinary practices and the need for improved human rights protections within the South Korean armed forces.

There are public concerns that outdated military customs like unreasonable disciplinary exercises are appearing.

— President Lee Jae-myungCommenting on the incident during a State Council meeting.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog