“With anger that tears out one’s heart, the head of the division Lim Seong-geun is accused” The mother of a surviving soldier cries out

September 13,
Military Human Rights Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul

Press conference with the mother of the mother of a surviving Marine Corps member

“Colleague Sang-Sang Chae” “Division Commander Lim Seong-geun is accused of malpractice and causing injury due to occupational negligence”

◀ Mr. A/Mother of a surviving Marine Corps soldier ▶

Because my child has not yet been discharged from the military. Please understand that wearing a mask and hat was unavoidable. I stand here with a very devastated and at the same time very fearful heart.

Even though it was an accident that brought him back from the crossroads of life and death, he cried during the first phone call, saying, ‘Mom, I couldn’t catch Soo-geun.’ After the day of the accident, I spoke on the phone with the unit several times, and if I couldn’t stay out overnight, I tried to apply for a visit to the camp, but not only did I not get the request, my son also said, ‘I’ll send Soo-geun away first,’ and ‘I’ll send him off well and come back.’ . He then tried to dissuade me from meeting him.

The first time I was able to see my son after the accident was on August 4th, 17 days after the accident. My son, who had barely been able to sleep after the company commander’s special sleepover, went on vacation, came home and couldn’t sleep comfortably for a single day. There were times when I woke up sweating profusely, and one day I even saw him wake up crying.

After hearing this amazing news, I no longer want to call this accident an accident. This is murder. If he wanted to raise the status of the Marine Corps like that, the division commander안전놀이터 who came out to inspect the site should have personally gone into the water and set an example.

I had faith that our Republic of Korea Marine Corps would have the same thoughts as me. We sent our son to that military unit, and the division commander also said he would take responsibility. However, in the current situation, beyond disappointment, I feel truly betrayed. If I were to be like this, my son and the crew members who were with him at the scene would be shocked.

As the saying goes, once a Marine, always a Marine, ex-Marines who meet on the street treat each other like brothers, even if they don’t know each other. Moreover, what has the Marine Corps done so far for the children who lost Sugeun, who was like a brother to them? (Crying) I’m sorry.

I ask Marine Corps Commander Kim Ki-hwan and 1st Marine Division Commander Lim Seong-geun. Do you consider the Marines who participated in the flood recovery operation on July 19th as comrades in arms? Or was it just a tool for your peace of mind and self-reliance? Corporal Chae Soo-geun, who cannot return, and the crew members who were deployed to an unknown location, whether it was a recovery operation or an extermination operation, are all my sons. Please return all my sons to normal.

I express my anger as my heart is being ripped out by this miserable reality, and I report to Lim Seong-geun, the commander of the 1st Marine Division. It’s already past time for you to apologize to my sons. However, I hope that the Marine Corps will now take responsibility for the investigation and correct the true nature of the Marine Corps. You must ensure that all Marines and my son can be discharged as honorable Marines.

Fellow citizens, my son and most of the soldiers deployed at the time are still in the military. Because of that, I am here today with great fear and trembling, but I am pleading with you with courage. The only people who can protect those children now are the citizens. I sincerely ask that the public pay more attention to our sons who enlisted to protect the Republic of Korea.