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.