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Soldier Accused of Killing 5 Is Captured in South Korea Soldier Accused of Killing 5 Is Captured in South Korea
(about 4 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean Army sergeant accused of fleeing his unit on the border with North Korea after killing five fellow soldiers was caught alive with a self-inflicted wound on Monday, ending a manhunt that involved a shootout and shocked the country over the weekend.SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean Army sergeant accused of fleeing his unit on the border with North Korea after killing five fellow soldiers was caught alive with a self-inflicted wound on Monday, ending a manhunt that involved a shootout and shocked the country over the weekend.
“He shot himself in the side in an apparent suicide attempt,” said an official at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the ministry’s policy. “He was taken to a hospital but is alive.” The soldier shot a bullet between his upper chest and left shoulder in an apparent suicide attempt, said Kim Min-seok, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul. Ministry officials declined to describe the soldier’s condition except to say that he had lost a lot of blood.
The authorities said that the 22-year-old soldier, who was identified only by his family name, Yim, had earlier fled into the night with his rifle and ammunition after hurling a hand grenade and spraying bullets at fellow soldiers on Saturday evening. Seven were wounded in the shooting rampage but were expected to live, the ministry said. The authorities said that the 22-year-old soldier, who was identified only by his family name, Yim, had fled into the night with his rifle and ammunition after hurling a hand grenade and spraying bullets at fellow soldiers on Saturday evening. Seven were wounded in the shooting rampage but were expected to live, the ministry said.
Nine battalions of troops were mobilized to chase the fugitive soldier. They built roadblocks and evacuated 540 civilians from three villages in the region, where the gunman was believed to be on the loose.Nine battalions of troops were mobilized to chase the fugitive soldier. They built roadblocks and evacuated 540 civilians from three villages in the region, where the gunman was believed to be on the loose.
On Sunday afternoon, he was spotted on a hill six miles from his unit and was quickly surrounded by troops. He wounded an officer in an ensuing shootout. Overnight, a tense and dramatic standoff developed, as his parents, who were taken to the scene by his unit, used a megaphone to urge their son to surrender. On Sunday afternoon, he was spotted on a hill six miles from his unit and was quickly surrounded by troops. He wounded an officer in an ensuing shootout. Another soldier was wounded in friendly fire. Overnight, while it rained, a tense standoff developed, as his parents, who were taken to the scene by his unit, used a megaphone to urge their son to surrender.
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. On Monday morning, Sergeant Yim wanted to speak with his father, and his unit commander approached him unarmed to hand over a cellphone, Mr. Kim, the Defense Ministry spokesman, said. The military later gave him water and food.
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. Before he shot himself, the sergeant had asked for paper and a pen. Military investigators said they were looking into what he wrote.
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 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 but not a peace treaty.
Most of the North’s and South’s armed forces are massed near their 150-mile-long border. Known as the demilitarized zone, the heavily fortified frontier stretches across rugged hills and is lined with tall wire fences and dotted with 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 the two nations trading threats of attack and counterattack.
The military screens soldiers for their physical and mental fitness before assigning them to guard posts 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 unidentified military source. Sergeant Yim was ruled unfit in April of last year but was cleared for border duty in a second test in November. Baek Seung-joo, the vice minister for defense, said on Monday that the military would review the screening process.
Kim Min-seok, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said Sunday that the army was interviewing fellow soldiers in Sergeant Yim’s unit to determine the cause of his rampage. Mr. Kim, the spokesman, said Sunday that the army was interviewing soldiers in Sergeant Yim’s unit to determine the cause of his rampage.
The soldier was scheduled to be discharged in September after the mandatory 21 months of service.The soldier was scheduled to be discharged in September after the mandatory 21 months of service.
The border shooting shocked 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 shocked 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 2005, a soldier killed eight colleagues in a front-line army unit. In recent years, the South Korean military has come under severe scrutiny for disciplinary problems. 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 rampage at a base near the tense maritime border with North Korea, killing four fellow marines. In 2011, a marine corporal bullied by other marines went on a shooting rampage at a base near the maritime border with North Korea, killing four fellow marines.
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. In 2012, a North Korean soldier who had scaled three barbed-wire fences on the border was not detected until he arrived at a South Korean barracks, saying he wanted to defect.