Top court upholds 5 1/2-year prison term for Army captain over recruit's death in disciplinary drills
This photo shows a company commander, center, charged for subjecting recruits to illegal disciplinary training at a boot camp in May 2024, which resulted in the death of one of them, June 21, 2024. Yonhap
The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed a 5 1/2-year prison sentence for an Army captain over the death of a trainee soldier during disciplinary training last year.
The court upheld a lower court's ruling against the company commander, surnamed Kang, charged for subjecting six recruits to the session that violated regulations at a boot camp in the eastern county of Inje in May 2024, resulting in the death of one of them.
Prosecutors earlier indicted the 28-year-old on charges of abuse of power and abuse resulting in death, arguing the late victim, surnamed Park, died due to illegal disciplinary training that could be seen as abuse.
The top court also confirmed a three-year prison term for a 26-year-old first lieutenant surnamed Nam — the company's deputy commander — indicted on the same charges, saying it did not find fault with the lower court's ruling.
An appeals court had sentenced Kang to 5 1/2 years in prison after a lower court handed out a five-year term. Nam received a three-year term in both previous trials.
The appellate court had said the defendants not only betrayed society's trust in the state to protect the soldiers but also undermined the people's faith in the overall military system.