US soldier under investigation goes missing in South Korea
By Kim Gamel
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 18, 2016
http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/us-soldier-under-investigation-goes-missing-in-south-korea-1.410311SEOUL, South Korea — A U.S. soldier under military investigation has disappeared from a base near the border with North Korea, a spokesman said Thursday.
The missing soldier is being investigated for a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, said Lt. Col. Richard Hyde, a 2nd Infantry Division spokesman. South Korean police said the soldier had been scheduled to face a court-martial Wednesday, but the military declined to confirm that or provide details about the charges.
The soldier, who is in his 20s, is not wanted for a violent crime, Hyde said.
“We do not believe that he is armed or dangerous,” he said. “He is believed to be in Seoul.”
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A South Korean police officer in Dongducheon said the soldier left nearby Camp Casey, about 40 miles north of Seoul, on Saturday morning. He was wearing civilian clothes and not carrying weapons or military equipment, said the police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
The military declined to provide more information about the soldier or the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. Hyde said the U.S. military was searching for him.
About 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea, which remains technically at war with the North after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a truce instead of a peace treaty.
Stars and Stripes staffer Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.
gamel.kim@stripes.com
