Published January 08, 2015
Officials say South Korean military prosecutors are charging four soldiers with homicide over the hazing death of a young army conscript in April.
The soldiers were previously charged with manslaughter. But prosecutors decided Tuesday on a more serious homicide charge after concluding that the soldiers likely knew the 21-year-old victim could die. Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok says that the accused face a minimum five years in prison and potentially life imprisonment or death.
Prosecutors say that the suspects regularly bullied the victim for about a month. They allegedly struck him in the chest and forced him to swallow a chunk of food that clogged his airway before he collapsed.
Bullying and hazing are serious problems in South Korea's military. Service is mandatory for all able-bodied men.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/south-korean-military-prosecutors-charge-4-soldiers-with-homicide-over-april-hazing-death