South Korean air force chief offers to quit over death, abuse of sergeant
FILE PHOTO: This November 11, 2018, photo shows South Korea’s Air Force cargo planes C-130 at the Jeju International Airport on Jeju Island, South Korea. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)
SEOUL — South Korea’s air force chief on Friday offered to step down, offering an apology and taking responsibility for the death of a female member of the air force, the air force said.
The announcement came after an air force master sergeant was arrested on Thursday on charges of sexually harassing and injuring a female colleague, which led to her taking her own life in May, leaving a video on her phone of her death.
The master sergeant is suspected of molesting the woman of the same rank in a car on their way back to their base in March after a dinner. The victim had suffered mental distress and transferred to another base at her request, her family had said.
Air Force Chief of Staff General Lee Seong-yong in a statement apologized for the death of the victim and offered condolences to her family.
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“I take heavy responsibility over the chain of situations and offer my resignation as of June 4,” said Lee.
The case triggered a public uproar after the woman’s family filed a petition with the presidential office on Tuesday calling for a thorough investigation and punishment for those involved.
The woman’s family has accused the air force of trying to cover up the assault on the woman and to silence her.
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