South Korean Marine Commits Suicide, Bullying Suspected

Posted July 11th, 2011 at 3:35 am (UTC-5)
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South Korea's military says a 19-year-old marine has hanged himself in the latest incident to raise questions about discipline in the ranks.

Officials said Monday the conscript was found Sunday evening in a barracks shower room. They said they are investigating to determine whether the man, identified only as Jung, had been bullied by fellow marines.

The death comes a week after another young marine went on a shooting spree, killing four colleagues and wounding another. A second marine was arrested after admitting he helped the gunman steal ammunition from a weapons storage room.

Both marines involved in the shooting had said they were victims of bullying, a common complaint in South Korea's mainly conscript military. Officials announced Sunday that two officers will be relieved of duty for failing to prevent the shooting rampage.