"Smells Like Rotten Onion"... Military Violence Perpetrator Given Suspended Prison Sentence After Discharge

Trial After Discharge for Insulting Junior Soldier, Civil Court Verdict

A man in his 20s was sentenced to a suspended prison term by a civilian court after being accused of insulting and abusing a junior soldier during his military service.

On the 11th, Judge Jeong Hee-young of the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 9 announced that A (25), who was indicted on charges of insult and coercion, was sentenced to 8 months in prison with a 2-year suspension and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.

The court pointed out, "The defendant continuously harassed the victim, a junior soldier, by abusing the hierarchical and closed nature of the military," adding, "The harassment was very insulting, so the pain the victim felt must have been very severe." The court continued, "The victim wants the defendant to be punished, and the guilt is heavy," but also stated, "Considering that the defendant showed remorse by acknowledging his wrongdoing belatedly and that this is his first offense."

Earlier, A was indicted for assaulting junior soldier B more than 10 times between January and May 2021 at a military barracks in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do. It was investigated that he forcibly grabbed B’s hands from behind while B was sitting on the edge of the bed railing and pushed his upper body forward as a form of abuse because B did not obey him. He also did not hesitate to insult B by saying things like, "You smell like rotten onions under your armpits," and after showering, "Why is your butt so black?"

In addition, A forced B to participate in a jokgu game despite B repeatedly refusing, saying he wanted to rest, and reportedly cursed at him when he fell during the game. Before bedtime, he also forced B to dance, saying, "You have to pass the 'lights-out dance' so that others can turn off the lights and sleep," making him perform girl group dances, according to the investigation. A was a soldier at the time of the offenses but was tried in a civilian court after discharge, not in a military court.

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