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| The mother of a young Marine announces a plan to file a complaint against a Marine commander during a press conference in Seoul, Sept. 13. Yonhap |
The mother of a Marine conscript said Wednesday she will file a complaint against a Marine commander for the damage her son sustained to his health from a post-flood search operation in July that left another young Marine killed.
The complaint against Major Gen. Lim Seong-geun, the commander of the 1st Division of the Marine Corps., will be filed with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials later in the day on charges of professional negligence resulting in death and abuse of authority, the mother said in a press conference.
Her son is a survivor of a deadly operation the Marine division conducted to search for missing flood victims in Yecheon County, 161 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 19 following heavy downpours in the region.
Cpl. Chae Su-geun was swept away by a torrent during the search and found dead about a half-day later. The complainant's son was also swallowed up by the torrent alongside Chae but was later rescued alive.
The surviving Marine has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and hospitalized for treatment.
"The time is far past for division commander Lim to apologize to my son," the mother said. "A military that cannot trust its commander won't be able to properly protect the country."
Her lawyer accused Lim of violating the Marine's right to health.
Chae's death sparked criticism that his commanders pushed for the risky operation without taking enough safety measures. (Yonhap)
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