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Gyeonggi governor's son probed for military abuse [2014/08/27 13:21] |
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Military authorities are investigating the first son of Gyeonggi Province Gov. Nam Kyung-pil on charges of beating and sexually harassing his junior colleagues at his unit of the Army`s 6th Division in Pocheon of the province, according to Army officials. Nam`s 23-year-old son, a corporal, allegedly beat a 21-year-old private first class for not properly carrying out his duty. The corporal is also purported to have hugged a 19-year-old private first class and hit an area near his pants` zipper.
The corporal is said to have admitted to his beating charges, but denied the charges of sexual harassment. His charges were revealed after his unit carried out a survey of unit members to stamp out abuse at barracks. The incident came as the military was struggling to shore up public trust following a series of bullying and abuse cases at frontline barracks. Some of the cases resulted in suicide and even a shooting spree, and promoted the government to set up a panel to revamp what critics say a closed, rigid military culture.
The governor made a public apology on his Facebook account on Sunday for not properly educating his son. “I deeply apologize to the victims and their families. It is all my fault as I -- part of the high social class -- did not properly educate my own son,” he said. “My son will receive due punishment in accordance with the law. As his father, I will also deeply repent (for his alleged wrongdoing).”
Meanwhile, government data showed that seven out of 100 senior military officials were rated as having “psychological difficulties.” According to Rep. JeongKab-yoon, who received the data from the military court, some 5,400 of the 81,000 commissioned and noncommissioned officers examined were judged to have psychological difficulties. |
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