4 soldiers die at Busan army division; 2 were term-contract NCOs

South Korea's National Human Rights Commission said Monday it had recommended the Army Chief of Staff take steps to prevent a recurrence after three soldiers died by suicide at an Army division in Busan last year.

The commission said it became aware of an additional case — a female staff sergeant who had previously died by suicide in a vehicle at the same division — and launched an ex officio investigation in November last year.

Of the four soldiers who died, three held the rank of staff sergeant and one was a private first class. Two of the staff sergeants were term-contract noncommissioned officers. Three of the four, including the female staff sergeant, were assigned to the same battalion.

The soldiers had expressed feelings of helplessness and depression over their duties, as well as difficulty coping with night shifts, but the unit either failed to recognize their distress or did not provide adequate support.

The division said that after each death, it referred cases to civilian police when there were grounds to suspect criminal conduct, and that it had provided psychological counseling to unit members.

The commission said the state has an inherent obligation to protect soldiers' fundamental rights and improve their service conditions and quality of life. It found that the division had been negligent in terms of "proactive preventive measures" and "special attention to vulnerable groups."

It added that more tailored management was needed to account for the particular circumstances of term-contract NCOs.

The commission recommended that the Army Chief of Staff establish a system to notify general-level commanders of investigation outcomes in suicide cases.

It also recommended that the division commander inspect and oversee the proper implementation of suicide prevention systems at each unit level.

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare's helpline 1393, available 24/7. Please request a translator for English-language services.