Court upholds suspension of Army officer who repeatedly abandoned post and abused soldiers
A Busan court confirmed a two-month suspension for an Army officer who left his post 64 times, verbally abused troops and delayed their leave approvals.
On Thursday, the Busan District Court dismissed an appeal by an Army officer seeking to overturn a two-month suspension imposed by his unit commander. Gate logs revealed the officer drove off the base without permission 64 times over a ten-month period, often giving trivial reasons such as needing to feed his lizard or wash his car. Between October 2023 and November 2024 he delayed approval of 698 leave, outing and overnight-pass requests submitted by 26 soldiers, causing them to lose military-subsidised train tickets and incur personal travel costs.
When soldiers asked for leave, he replied, “Is this a community service center? Get lost,” and verbally berated a soldier with back pain, suggesting a discharge for mental illness. The court stated that the severity of his actions could justify dismissal, while repeated violations might warrant expulsion, which also reduces retirement benefits. The officer’s lawsuit was rejected, leaving the suspension in effect.
