"Afraid of Military Life"... 1-Year Probation for 20-Year-Old Who Left Unit Two Days After Enlistment

Daegu District Court Holds Citizen Jury Trial... All 7 Jurors Deliver Guilty Verdict

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] The Criminal Division 11 of Daegu District Court (Chief Judge Kim Sang-yoon) announced that in a citizen trial for A (25), who was charged with deserting the military unit just two days after enlisting in the recruit training center, a sentence of 6 months imprisonment with a 1-year probation was handed down.

According to the indictment, A enlisted in the recruit training center in Gangwon Province on December 3 last year, and on the morning of December 5 at around 11:40 a.m., he changed into civilian clothes and lied to the sentry at the guard post, saying he had been "discharged to go home," then left the military base, leading to the trial.

A was caught by recruit training center personnel about 18 minutes later and reportedly stated that he was "afraid of military life." Seven jurors participated in the citizen trial for A, all delivering guilty verdicts. Six jurors recommended a sentence of 6 months imprisonment with 1-year probation, while one juror suggested 8 months imprisonment with 2 years probation.

In the judgment, the court stated, "Desertion disrupts military discipline and lowers the morale of soldiers, so the culpability is not light," and added, "Considering that the desertion period was short, the act was impulsive and spontaneous, and that symptoms of depression appeared to have influenced the offense," as reasons for sentencing.

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