Tag: ROK Army

I have never heard of something like this before. Who doing too many pushups can land you in the hospital for two weeks?:

A soldier at a front-line military unit in Gangwon Province developed rhabdomyolysis, a severe muscle condition, after a superior allegedly forced him to continue doing push-ups despite repeated requests to stop.

Authorities from the Ministry of National Defense said they are investigating the incident following a formal complaint from the victim’s family, who allege abuse of authority, abuse and assault.

The episode occurred March 9 during a physical training session when a company commander ordered soldiers to complete a run and 100 push-ups. The victim was exercising with a fellow soldier when the offender intervened. At approximately 15 repetitions, the sergeant allegedly pushed on his back, criticized his form and forced him to continue doing push-ups.

The soldier explicitly asked to stop three times, telling his superior, “I’m too exhausted, sergeant,” “I don’t think this is right” and “I don’t think I can do this because I’m exhausted.” The sergeant ignored his requests, forcing the victim to complete nearly 100 repetitions before the soldier began breathing heavily and stopped.

The soldier experienced immediate arm pain and sleep disturbances. He visited the medical unit two days later, where he passed dark urine after receiving an intravenous drip. A blood test at the Armed Forces Pocheon Hospital showed his creatine kinase (CK) level had reached 40,000 U/L. The normal range is 50 to 200 U/L.

At his family’s request, the victim underwent a second test at a civilian university hospital, where his CK level surged to 77,380 U/L. Medical staff diagnosed him with severe rhabdomyolysis alongside symptoms of kidney failure and arrhythmia. He required two weeks of inpatient care and continues outpatient treatment. 

“If they had stopped when he asked them to stop, this would not have happened,” the family said, demanding a thorough investigation and punishment for those responsible. 

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

The personnel involved with catching the North Korean man who crossed the DMZ must have been really executing their responsibilities well to receive such recognition:

Two of the 10 South Korean soldiers who helped secure a North Korean man inside the Demilitarized Zone earlier this month were granted 30 days of leave, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday. All 10 troops will receive commendations for their actions on July 3, when a North Korean man crossed the midwestern section of the heavily fortified border dividing the Korean Peninsula, a Joint Chiefs spokeswoman said by phone Thursday.

The group included two conscripts, who received the additional leave, and eight officers and noncommissioned officers, she said. South Korean forces deployed to interdict the man, who identified himself as a civilian, the South’s military said at the time. He was removed from the DMZ and remains under investigation.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

When the martial law decree happened I said it was foolish of Yoon to think that ROK Soldiers would want to be involved in anything that could devolve into a modern day Gwangju Uprising like event. That is exactly what happened as Soldiers went and ate ramen noodles at local convenience stores instead of following orders. Who would imagine that going to eat ramen noodles could lead to a promotion for them:

South Korean soldiers who refused to obey unlawful orders during former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law attempt last year could receive early promotions, according to the Ministry of National Defense. The military last week launched a closer look at the actions of soldiers on duty after Yoon’s short-lived martial law decree late Dec. 3 and early Dec. 4, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Friday at a news conference in Seoul.

Roughly 200 soldiers — many of them from special forces units — were deployed to the National Assembly building in the capital after Yoon’s edict that night. Some troops blocked the building’s entrance as lawmakers attempted to convene and vote to overturn Yoon’s order. Yoon, who faces trial on charges of insurrection and abuse of authority, has denied deploying troops to prevent lawmakers from reversing the martial law. His attorneys have said the troops were deployed as a precautionary measure and to instill order. Service members who are found to have “performed their duties as soldiers” without following “improper orders” could receive commendations, the spokesman said.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

Another major accident from the ROK military that fortunately did not have anyone killed or injured:

An Army surveillance drone collided with a helicopter parked at an airfield just north of Seoul on Monday, but no casualties were reported, the Army said.

The collision took place as the Israeli-made Heron drone was attempting to land at the Army base in Yangju at about 1 p.m., sparking a fire that was extinguished in about 20 minutes, according to the Army.

No one was injured, but the drone and the helicopter, a Surion built by Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., were completely destroyed by the fire, an Army official said.

The military has launched an investigation into the exact cause of the accident.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Another ROK Army senior leader has now been arrested:

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, who served as the chief commander during President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law, was arrested Tuesday, prosecutors said.

Park was arrested with a court-issued warrant on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection and abuse of power.

Park became the fifth key figure who was arrested over Yoon’s Dec. 3 failed bid to impose martial law. 

So far, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung, head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, head of the Army Special Warfare Command, and Lt. Gen. Lee Jin-woo, head of the Capital Defense Command, have been arrested.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.