An Army 15th Division officer accused of coercing a soldier into doing push-ups, resulting in severe rhabdomyolysis, has been brought to trial.

According to the victim's side on November 6, the 31st Prosecutors' Office of the Gangwon Regional General Military Prosecutors' Office under the Army Prosecutors Group indicted Staff Sergeant A on charges of abuse of authority through harsh treatment and bodily injury resulting from assault.

Staff Sergeant A is accused of forcing Private First Class B to perform push-ups at the fitness center of the 15th Division in Cheorwon-gun on March 9.

He reportedly told the victim, "Don't do half-reps like that, go all the way down," while grabbing the upper garment of the victim's athletic clothes from above and repeatedly lifting and lowering him to force continued push-ups.

Feeling extreme physical limits, the victim repeatedly pleaded for him to stop, saying, "Sir, it is too hard for me, Sergeant," and "I don't think this is right," but Staff Sergeant A did not stop, eventually forcing the victim to perform close to 100 push-ups.

Afterward, experiencing severe pain in both arms, the victim urinated dark cola-colored urine. Test results showed his muscle enzyme levels skyrocketed to 77,380—hundreds of times higher than the normal range—leading to a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis and a two-week hospital stay.

Based on statements from unit personnel and the victim's medical records, the investigative authorities concluded that the charges were well-founded.

Following the incident, the victim's family visited the Ministry of National Defense to submit petitions and signature sheets collected online and offline from approximately 4,500 people urging strict punishment, while calling for a thorough investigation and severe penalties.

The victim's family stated, "We hope that the upcoming trial will thoroughly examine the details of the incident, the extent of the damage, and the illegality and responsibility of the actions, leading to a strict and fair judgment in accordance with the law and principles."

They further emphasized, "We hope this incident will not merely end with the punishment of an individual, but serve as an opportunity to raise awareness of the severity of harsh treatment and irregularities within the military, and prevent similar damage from recurring."

(Photo provided by the victim's family, Yonhap News)