Marine puts off discharge to join training

Marine Yang Hyuk-joon holds a 90-milimeter recoilless rifle during a landing drill at Anmyeondo Island, South Chungcheong Province, Monday, the day when he was initially supposed to be discharged before asking that his release be postponed. / Courtesy of Marine Corps

By Jun Ji-hye

Soldiers here often say, “Whatever happens, the clock is running until the end of your service.”

This phrase indicates just how desperate they are for their discharge from their close to two-year mandatory military service.

Marine Yang Hyuk-joon, however, made a rare decision to put off his discharge.

He was supposed to quit on Monday, but requested the date be delayed until July 9.

The reason was for him to join a large-scale landing drill that began on June 25 and will run through July 9 in the West Sea.

Yang, who belongs to the 2nd Division of the Marine Corps, asked his commander to put off his discharge, who approved, saying Yang’s strong will set a good example to other soldiers.

The 23-year-old said he made the decision as he could not leave his comrades while one of the largest Marine Corps’ drills was taking place.

He also worried that there would be nobody to undertake a mission as a gunner of a 90-millimeter recoilless rifle during the training if he left as scheduled.

Yang believed that his mission would only be complete after he passed his know-how on to his juniors.

“From the time I decided to join the Marine Corps, I wanted to be loyal to the last,” he said. “I am happy as a marine to bring my military career to a successful conclusion by attending the drill of the Marine Corps.”

He added, “The participation gave me a chance to feel the friendship of my comrades.”

Yang studied in the United States since the sixth grade of elementary school.

While in St. George's School in 2010, he learned about North Korea’s artillery shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, near the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, and decided to join the Marine Corps.

After completing his second year in the New York University, he volunteered for service in September, 2013.

The Marine Corps noted that Yang has been a respected marine who took initiative and set an example both in training and in barracks life.

It added that his English skills allowed him to play an important role as an interpreter during Seoul-Washington joint drills.

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