Army under fire for improper medical care of new recruits

By Lee Hyo-sik

The Army has come under criticism for its inadequate medical care of new soldiers at its training camp, following the death of a 23-year-old conscript who was forced to go on a 20-kilometer march at night and other strenuous activities under poor health conditions.

According to the Korean Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, Friday, the recruit, identified only by his surname Noh, died from meningitis which caused blood poisoning and acute respiratory distress. He had been given only two tablets of Tylenol by the training center for his illness.

Noh’s bereaved family is considering filing a compensation suit against the government for his wrongful death, arguing that their son would still be alive if the army training center had accurately diagnosed his health problems and treated him with proper medical attention.

The Army said Noh and other recruits returned to the base in the early hours of April 22 after completing a 20-kilomter night march, which lasted over seven hours. Shortly afterwards he began running a fever and was moved to a medical room for treatment.

He was given two Tylenol by a medic on duty as an army doctor was not in the office at the time.

The following day his condition continued to deteriorate and he was taken to a military hospital. After showing signs of blood poisoning, he was again transferred to nearby Konyang University Hospital but he was pronounced dead on April 24.

The bereaved family said he contracted the disease after he enrolled into the training center in March because he had suffered from no health problems before enlisting.

Noh’s father said his son would not have died if he had been taken to the hospital and received adequate treatment immediately after he began showing signs of a high fever.

Citing a letter sent by his fellow recruits, the father said Roh was too exhausted to undergo the night-time march, adding that he and other recruits in poor health could not dare ask to be excused from the training because the drill instructors would not allow it.

However, the Korean Army Training Center said an army doctor accompanied recruits during the march and was on duty for patients for several hours afterwards.

“But when Noh was moved to the sick room, the doctor had already left the office. He was only given something to relieve his fever because his body temperature was not too high. Drill instructors exempted several recruiters deemed to be in poor health from the night march,” the center said.