A soldier trainee who deserted saying he wanted to see the sea was caught by the police.
On the 14th, the Busan Suyeong Police Station announced that they had urgently arrested a soldier trainee surnamed A from the Army Training Center in Nonsan on charges of desertion and handed over the New Recruit to the Army investigation team.
A was a first-week trainee who entered the Nonsan Training Center on the 7th and was confirmed to have secretly left the hospital where he was admitted on the 13th, claiming to be ill.
The police tracked A's whereabouts after receiving a request for investigative cooperation, and at 1:15 a.m. on the same day, they apprehended A at Gwangalli Beach in Busan. At the time, A was reportedly on the beach with his girlfriend.
A is said to have stated during interrogation, "I deserted because I wanted to see the sea and came to Busan with my girlfriend."
A police official said, "I cannot provide details about the incident."