SKorean Soldier Opens Fire on Fellow Servicemen

by JULIE HA

The Associated Press is reporting that a South Korean soldier opened fire on his fellow troops Saturday night (Korea time), killing five and wounding another five near the heavily armed border with North Korea.

The army sergeant shot his comrades with a rifle at an outpost in Gangwon province, east of Seoul, a South Korean military official told AP on condition of anonymity. Korean media said the shooter was still at large, though the military official would not confirm this information.

North Korea was not involved in the incident, as far as officials know at this point, said the AP report, which also cited two other shootings that have occurred at the border. One incident in 2005 involved a soldier, Pfc. Kim Dong-min, who opened fire on an army unit, killing eight fellow servicemen and injuring several others. Kim was reportedly upset at his superiors because he said they verbally abused him.

Photo via Reuters: An ambulance transporting a wounded soldier arrives at a hospital in Gangneung.