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Fugitive Trades Fire With Troops in South Korea Fugitive Trades Fire With Troops in South Korea
(about 11 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean Army sergeant who fled his unit on the border with North Korea after killing five fellow soldiers engaged in a shootout with troops chasing him on Sunday, military officials said. His unit brought his parents to the scene, asking them to persuade their son to surrender. SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean Army sergeant who fled his unit on the border with North Korea after killing five fellow soldiers engaged in a shootout with troops chasing him on Sunday, military officials said. His unit took his parents to the scene, asking them to persuade their son to surrender.
South Korean news media reported that an officer was hit in the arm by one of the bullets fired by the fugitive soldier. By Sunday evening, the shooting had apparently stopped, and before dusk, the military evacuated 540 people from three villages to nearby schools as it prepared for a possible shootout with the renegade sergeant. Media photos from the scene showed camouflaged soldiers training their rifles from the rooftops of a village and an army gunship prowling the sky. The fugitive soldier wounded an officer in the arm before the shooting apparently stopped by Sunday evening, South Korean news media reported. Before dusk, the military evacuated 540 people from three villages to nearby schools, and photographs from the scene showed camouflaged soldiers training their rifles from the rooftops of a village and an army gunship prowling the sky.
The assailant, a 22-year-old sergeant — identified only by his family name, Yim — was returning to his barracks on Saturday evening after sentry duty on the border when he attacked fellow soldiers with a hand grenade and a K-2 standard army-issue rifle, military officials said. The sergeant, 22, who was identified only by his family name, Yim, was returning to his barracks on Saturday evening after sentry duty on the border when he attacked fellow soldiers with a hand grenade and a K-2 standard-issue army rifle, military officials said.
All seven soldiers injured in the Saturday shootings were expected to live, Kim Min-seok, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said on Sunday. Seven soldiers who were wounded in the Saturday shootings were expected to live, Kim Min-seok, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said on Sunday.
As the news spread on Saturday that Sergeant Yim had fled into the night with his rifle and ammunition, villagers near his unit at the northeastern tip of South Korea were advised to stay indoors. Fully armed soldiers dug foxholes around their villages. As the news spread on Saturday that Sergeant Yim had fled into the night with his rifle and ammunition, villagers near his unit at the northeastern tip of South Korea were advised to stay indoors. Armed soldiers dug foxholes around their villages.
Soldiers added roadblocks to prevent the fugitive soldier from reaching towns farther south. They also tightened vigilance on the border for fear that he might attempt to defect to North Korea. Nine army battalions were mobilized for the manhunt, with military helicopters scanning forested hills along the frontier. Soldiers added roadblocks to prevent Sergeant Yim from reaching towns farther south. They also tightened vigilance on the border for fear that he might attempt to defect to North Korea. Nine army battalions were mobilized for the manhunt, with military helicopters scanning forested hills along the frontier.
Sergeant Yim was seen early Sunday afternoon, six miles from his unit, which is when the shootout ensued. The shootout ensued when Sergeant Yim was seen early Sunday afternoon, six miles from his unit.
The episode highlights the challenge South Korea faces in keeping a largely conscript military, which is on guard against North Korea. The two Koreas are technically at war after the three- year Korean War was halted in 1953 with a truce and not a peace treaty. The episode highlights the challenge South Korea faces in maintaining a largely conscript military, which is on guard against North Korea. The two Koreas are technically at war after the three-year Korean War was halted in 1953 with a truce and not a peace treaty.
Most of the North and South’s armed forces are amassed near their 150-mile-long border. Called the demilitarized zone, the heavily fortified frontier stretches across rugged hills and is guarded by tall wire fences and minefields. Soldiers from the South who are posted there are on constant lookout for infiltrators and are exposed to propaganda broadcasts from the North. Most of the North’s and South’s armed forces are amassed near their 150-mile-long border. Called the demilitarized zone, the heavily fortified frontier stretches across rugged hills and is guarded by tall wire fences and minefields. Soldiers from the South who are posted there are on constant lookout for infiltrators and are exposed to propaganda broadcasts from the North.
Serving on the border is considered one of the most grueling duties among South Korean conscripts, especially when tensions run high with North Korea, as they have in recent months, with Pyongyang and Seoul trading threats of attack and counterattack. Serving on the border is considered one of the most grueling duties among South Korean conscripts, especially when tensions run high with North Korea, as they have in recent months, with both nations trading threats of attack and counterattack.
The military screens soldiers for their physical and mental fitness before assigning them to guard post duties on the border. The military screens soldiers for their physical and mental fitness before assigning them to guard posts on the border.
Sergeant Yim was ruled unfit in April last year but was cleared for border duty in a second test in November, said the South Korean national news agency Yonhap, quoting an unnamed military source. Sergeant Yim was ruled unfit in April last year but was cleared for border duty in a second test in November, said the South Korean national news agency Yonhap, quoting an unidentified military source.
Mr. Kim, the ministry spokesman, said the army was interviewing fellow soldiers in Sergeant Yim’s unit to determine the cause of his rampage.Mr. Kim, the ministry spokesman, said the army was interviewing fellow soldiers in Sergeant Yim’s unit to determine the cause of his rampage.
The soldier was scheduled to be discharged in September after a mandatory 21-month service. The soldier was scheduled to be discharged in September after the mandatory 21 months of service.
The border shooting rocked South Korea, where many remain traumatized by the sinking of a ferry in April that left more than 300 people dead or missing.The border shooting rocked South Korea, where many remain traumatized by the sinking of a ferry in April that left more than 300 people dead or missing.
In recent years, the South Korean military has come under harsh scrutiny for disciplinary problems. In recent years, the South Korean military has come under harsh scrutiny for disciplinary problems. In 2005, a soldier killed eight colleagues in a front-line army unit.
In 2005, a soldier killed eight colleagues in a front-line army unit. In 2011, a marine corporal bullied by other marines went on a shooting spree at a base near the tense maritime border with North Korea, killing four fellow soldiers. In 2011, a marine corporal bullied by other marines went on a shooting spree at a base near the tense maritime border with North Korea, killing four fellow marines.
In 2012, a North Korean soldier scaled three barbed-wire fences on the border but was not detected until he arrived at the South Korean barracks, saying he wanted to defect. In 2012, a North Korean soldier who had scaled three barbed-wire fences on the border was not detected until he arrived at the South Korean barracks, saying he wanted to defect.