Soldier Under Investigation for Sexual Assault Accused of Taking 'Hwangje Leave'... Receiving Full Salary While Excessively Using Sick Leave

[Image source = Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A soldier under investigation for sexually assaulting a North Korean defector woman is causing controversy for enjoying so-called 'emperor leave,' taking sick leave while receiving full salary.

On the 11th, Lee Chae-ik, a member of the People Power Party, analyzed data on leave status of standby officers at the Central Supplementary Battalion submitted by the Ministry of National Defense. The investigation revealed that former intelligence soldiers under investigation for sexually assaulting North Korean defector women last year took up to seven times more leave than regular officers and three times more leave than other standby officers in the same unit.

On December 5 last year, Lieutenant Colonel A and Sergeant B were accused of sexually assaulting a North Korean defector woman who had worked at a North Korean weapons research institute after approaching her for intelligence gathering purposes. They were dismissed from their posts. Subsequently, on December 16, before indictment, they were transferred to the Central Supplementary Battalion, where officers dismissed from their posts await, and are currently on standby as officers.

On the 7th, at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Lee Chae-ik, a member of the People Power Party, is questioning during the National Assembly National Defense Committee's audit.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Representative Lee stated, "According to Ministry of National Defense data, Lieutenant Colonel A and Sergeant B used a combination of sick leave, annual leave, official leave, and petition leave over three and a half months," adding, "There were weeks when they did not report to work even a single day."

He continued, "They took sick leave for psychiatric counseling, hair loss treatment, habitual shoulder dislocation, abdominal pain treatment, and esophagitis, and after returning, submitted medical certificates or receipts. Over three and a half months, they used 19 and 16 days of sick leave respectively."

Furthermore, he pointed out, "Lieutenant Colonel A and Sergeant B are suspected of using sick leave as a means to extend their vacation," noting, "They used sick leave between annual or official leave or concentrated sick leave on Fridays, attending work only about 37 and 25 days respectively over 107 days."

The problem lies in the Military Personnel Act, which stipulates that soldiers dismissed from their posts do not face any salary reduction, meaning they received full pay during this period.

Representative Lee asserted, "It is suspected that they enjoyed emperor leave through excessive sick leave," and emphasized, "Many military officers are dismissed from their posts for various reasons, but they do not face salary reductions even without a post. Reform of the Military Personnel Act is absolutely necessary."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.