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Lieutenant Colonel Lee Soo-deuk of the Army's 8th Division was confirmed to have been excluded from duty on the 26th. According to military officials, the Army took personnel action against this division commander on the 25th, which was a result of investigations into negligence in unit command and management, as well as considerations for an objective assessment of the unit in the future. The acting commander will be Brigadier General Yang Yoon-cheol, the deputy commander of the 7th Corps.
The reason for the exclusion of this division commander is related to management issues within the unit, including the death of a cook during a running event hosted by the division last year and the recent death of a newly appointed sergeant. According to military sources, a female sergeant from the 8th Division took her own life at a military residence in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, after reportedly requesting assistance for her grievances, but no follow-up actions were properly taken.
Additionally, in September of last year, a private who had been in service for four months died of heatstroke after being forced to participate in the division's running competition. It is known that this division commander ordered the event, and he has been referred to the prosecution on charges of negligent homicide by the police. There are also opinions suggesting that if personnel actions had been taken before these incidents occurred, the death of the female sergeant could have been prevented. Currently, there is growing concern over the leadership vacuum in the 8th Division, which must respond to North Korea's nuclear threats.