"Don't just slack off," he said as he pinned him down and subjected him to abuse... Army corporal's muscles were nearly destroyed

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[Financial News] A severe abuse case has emerged at a front-line military unit in Gangwon State, where a unit officer forced a soldier into abusive treatment that caused serious muscle damage. The victim is still receiving treatment for the aftereffects of the injury, but no responsible apology has reportedly been offered by the perpetrator or the unit, sparking public outrage.
According to Yonhap News Agency on the 26th, the incident took place around 4 p.m. on March 9 in the unit's fitness training room.
Corporal A, who belongs to the 15th Infantry Division, was exercising with a fellow soldier after being ordered by the company commander to complete 100 push-ups during physical training.
When Corporal A was about 15 push-ups in, Sergeant B entered the training room and began forcefully pressing down on A's back, saying, "Don't just slack off like that. Get down." Sergeant B repeatedly forced A's body down and back up while gripping the top of his training uniform with one hand from on top of his back.
As Corporal A, pushed to the brink of his physical limits, pleaded three times, saying, "I'm in too much pain, sir," and "I don't think this is right," Sergeant B ignored him. The forced push-ups continued until nearly 100 repetitions were completed, and the abuse only stopped after A's breathing became labored and increasingly rough. During the ordeal, Sergeant B also reportedly kicked A's legs and grabbed his head, adding physical assault to the abuse.
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The aftermath was devastating. Starting the next day, Corporal A felt severe pain in both arms, and by the following day he could no longer lift either arm on his own. With help from a fellow soldier, he put on his uniform and went to the unit medical station. The color of his urine, seen for the first time after receiving an IV drip, was shockingly "cola-colored."
Blood tests conducted after he was urgently transferred to Armed Forces Pocheon Hospital showed that his creatine kinase (CK) level, an indicator of muscle damage, had reached 40,000. His muscles had effectively broken down to a level hundreds of times above the normal range of 50 to 200. When he was later transferred to a civilian university hospital at the request of his family and tested again, the level had surged to 77,380.
In addition, myoglobin, a protein released when muscle cells are destroyed, flooded into his bloodstream, causing liver enzyme levels to rise dozens of times above normal. Doctors also found signs of kidney failure and arrhythmia.
Corporal A was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and had to remain hospitalized for two weeks. Even after discharge, he continues to receive outpatient treatment and monitoring because of concerns over lingering kidney complications, including occasional cola-colored urine.
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A's older sister said, "My younger brother is a surviving soldier who narrowly came back from the brink of death because of the violent abuse inflicted on him, even while he was crying out in extreme pain."
She added, "If they had stopped even once when he begged them to stop, nothing would have happened. I want to know why they went that far. To prevent this from happening again, a thorough investigation and punishment of those responsible are necessary."
Despite the seriousness of the case, A's side said they had not received a responsible apology from Sergeant B or the unit commanders. They have filed a complaint with the Military Police (MP) against Sergeant B on charges of abuse of authority, abusive treatment, and assault.
In response, an official from the 15th Infantry Division told Yonhap News Agency, "The military investigative authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, and any confirmed illegal acts will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and regulations."
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moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter