By Jun Ji-hye
An Army sergeant first-class died Friday after a grenade exploded during an exercise at a recruit training center of the 50th Infantry Division in Daegu.
Another sergeant first-class and a recruit were wounded.
According to the Army, the blast occurred at 11:13 a.m. when the 20-year-old recruit identified only by his surname Sohn held the grenade in his right hand during a throwing drill.
The 27-year-old sergeant first-class indentified by his surname Kim, who was a drill instructor, was seriously hurt and rushed to a hospital where he died at 12:53 p.m.
Sohn had his right hand amputated from the wrist.
Another sergeant first-class surnamed Park, 27, was hit by debris but was in stable condition, the Army said.
“The blast occurred when Sohn took the pin off the grenade and bent his arm back to throw it,” said an Army official on the condition of anonymity.
More than 200 recruits were participating in the training, but there were no additional victims as they were about 30 meters away at the time of the blast.
The division immediately suspended the training in the wake of the accident. The military is investigating the details of the accident including the possibility that the grenade was defective.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye