South Korean air force officer arrested over suspected sexual abuse of colleague
- The master sergeant is suspected of molesting the woman in a car on their way back to the base in Seosan after a dinner in March
- She later took her own life and the victim’s family has accused the air force of trying to cover up the assault
The master sergeant, only identified by his surname Jang, is suspected of molesting the woman of the same rank in a car on their way back to their base in the western city of Seosan in March after a dinner.
The victim, identified by her surname Lee, had suffered mental distress and transferred to another base at her request two months after the incident, her family said in a petition to the president over the case.
She was found dead at her home on the base on May 22, leaving a video on her mobile phone of her death, the family said.
A military court approved Jang’s arrest on Wednesday on charges of violating the Criminal Act by committing indecent acts by compulsion on a member of the military and causing injury.
“He is detained after a hearing and an investigation is under way,” ministry spokesman Boo Seung-chan told a briefing.