3,500 servicemembers break barracks in last 5 years

Nearly 3,500 conscripted soldiers deserted their military units in the last five years, about 66 percent of them due to stress of barracks life, defense ministry data showed Saturday.

A total of 3,469 servicemembers broke barracks between 2008 and the first half of this year, according to the ministry data submitted to Rep. Yoo Ki-june of the ruling Saenuri Party.

The number of deserters has been at 700 levels a year after falling to 703 in 2009 from 1,011 in 2008. Of them, only six deserters left barracks with guns.

Stress of barracks life was cited as the biggest reason for desertion with 2,281 cases or 65.7 percent, followed by financial problems with 24.1 percent, family matters with 4 percent and girlfriend issues with 3.4 percent, according to the data.

Yu said the military should try to improve barracks culture and strengthen mental power of servicemembers.

All able-bodied South Korean men between 18 and 38 must serve about two years in the armed forces, depending on their branch of service. South Korea remains technically at war with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. (Yonhap)