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South Korea conscripts die in apparent suicides | South Korea conscripts die in apparent suicides |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Two South Korean conscripts died in apparent suicides on Sunday, the military says, weeks after another soldier shot five members of his unit. | Two South Korean conscripts died in apparent suicides on Sunday, the military says, weeks after another soldier shot five members of his unit. |
The two men, both privates, were found hanged in separate barracks. | The two men, both privates, were found hanged in separate barracks. |
Both had been placed on a watch list for monitoring due to concerns over their state of mind. | Both had been placed on a watch list for monitoring due to concerns over their state of mind. |
South Korea operates a conscription system under which all men must serve about two years. The nation remains technically at war with North Korea. | South Korea operates a conscription system under which all men must serve about two years. The nation remains technically at war with North Korea. |
The demilitarised zone (DMZ) which divides the two Koreas is one of the most heavily guarded areas in the world. | |
South Korea's conscription period is one of the longer globally, with most conscripts aged in their early 20s. | South Korea's conscription period is one of the longer globally, with most conscripts aged in their early 20s. |
Bullying and mental health problems have been blamed for a number of previous incidents. | Bullying and mental health problems have been blamed for a number of previous incidents. |
In June a soldier shot himself, but survived, after killing five members of his unit. | In June a soldier shot himself, but survived, after killing five members of his unit. |
He was described as having had difficulties adjusting to military life, and had also been placed on a watch list. | He was described as having had difficulties adjusting to military life, and had also been placed on a watch list. |
Both he and one of the men who killed himself this week were assigned to the same front-line unit near the DMZ. | |
A defence ministry official said few measures existed to help vulnerable soldiers adapt to military life. | A defence ministry official said few measures existed to help vulnerable soldiers adapt to military life. |
"We are struggling to find fundamental solutions amid the harsh reality of a lack of systematic measures to support the servicepersons and a reduction in the number of potential draftees due to the country's low birth rate," Yonhap news agency quoted the unnamed official as saying. | "We are struggling to find fundamental solutions amid the harsh reality of a lack of systematic measures to support the servicepersons and a reduction in the number of potential draftees due to the country's low birth rate," Yonhap news agency quoted the unnamed official as saying. |
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