A service member who went out citing a breakup with his girlfriend and did not follow orders to return was sentenced to prison.
The Incheon District Court Criminal Division 15 said on Apr. 6 that it sentenced a 23-year-old, identified only as A, to eight months in prison on charges of desertion and fraud.
A was indicted on charges of failing to return for 17 hours after leaving his base on a one-night, two-day overnight pass while on duty in Nov. 2024. He also faces charges of leaving the base for four hours on Dec. 14 after going out and disobeying orders to return.
A is said to have taken the overnight pass after breaking up with his girlfriend and failed to accurately report his location.
In addition, he was indicted on charges of swindling a high school classmate out of 60.68 million won in 75 transfers between Jan. 2021 and Feb. 2022 by falsely promising to grow the money.
The court said, "The crime of desertion undermines military discipline and the morale of service members, so the culpability is not light," and added, "The defendant has previously refused to return within leave periods several times and has not corrected the wrongdoing."