Soldier dies after military physical assessment

By Chyung Eun-ju

A South Korean recruit soldier died after running during a physical fitness test at a training center in Gyeonggi Province on Thursday, according to police.

The military unit and police said on Friday that the soldier, 19, fainted on Thursday at 5:25 p.m. while running a 1.5 kilometer fitness course.

He received first aid and was then moved to a military hospital in Yangju.

His condition deteriorated, so he was moved to a private hospital in Uijeongbu.

However, the ambulance broke down at a crossroad in Hoeam-dong, northern Yangju. The soldier was then moved to another ambulance, but died.

“When the ambulance broke down the soldier had already had a cardiac arrest,” a fire department official said.

“We will have to investigate whether the accident had any effect on his death.”

The recruit joined the training center in October.