S Korea army chief offers to resign over ‘bullying’
6 Aug 2014 10:00 PM GMT
Army Chief of Staff Kwon Oh-Seong offered to step down during a meeting with Defence Minister Han Min-Koo, a ministry spokesman said. It was not immediately clear if the resignation had been accepted.
Kwon expressed regret and apologised for the death of the 23-year-old private, saying he ‘feels responsible’, the spokesman told AFP. ‘I hope this kind of incident will never happen again,’ the army chief was quoted as saying.
President Park Geun-Hye also voiced her sadness over the case and called for severe punishment of those responsible.
Private Yoon died in April following an alleged assault by five soldiers, during which he was struck in the chest, causing a chunk of food to get lodged in his airway. He died of asphyxiation. The 5 have been arrested on manslaughter charges after an initial investigation showed the private had been repeatedly bullied. Investigators found Yoon had been the target of regular bullying and assaults, including sessions of crude water-boarding.
Kwon expressed regret and apologised for the death of the 23-year-old private, saying he ‘feels responsible’, the spokesman told AFP. ‘I hope this kind of incident will never happen again,’ the army chief was quoted as saying.
President Park Geun-Hye also voiced her sadness over the case and called for severe punishment of those responsible.
Private Yoon died in April following an alleged assault by five soldiers, during which he was struck in the chest, causing a chunk of food to get lodged in his airway. He died of asphyxiation. The 5 have been arrested on manslaughter charges after an initial investigation showed the private had been repeatedly bullied. Investigators found Yoon had been the target of regular bullying and assaults, including sessions of crude water-boarding.
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