Abroad
Korean army officer leaves post 64 times in 10 months to 'feed his lizard', gets suspended
His attempt to overturn his two-month suspension was dismissed
October 17, 2026, 10:14 AM
Photo from Unsplash
A South Korean army officer has been suspended for two months after he left his post multiple times without permission, verbally abused other soldiers, and delayed approving their requests for leave.
Left base without permission
According to Korean media, the officer had driven out of the military base in a private vehicle 64 times during weekday working hours over a 10-month period.
He did so without applying for leave or informing his commander.
A guard commander testified that the officer frequently gave excuses such as needing to feed his lizard or wash his car, as reported by The Korea Herald.
He was also found to have delayed 698 requests for outings, overnight passes, and leave submitted by 26 soldiers between October 2023 and November 2024.
As a result, some soldiers were unable to obtain military-supported train tickets and had to pay for their own transportation.
The officer also verbally abused soldiers who asked him for leave approval.
In one instance, he told soldiers to get lost after questioning whether the military base was a community service centre.
Upheld suspension
The officer proceeded to file a lawsuit against his unit commander to overturn his two-month suspension.
However, the Busan District Court dismissed his lawsuit.
The court noted that the severity of his misconduct could have warranted dismissal from military service under disciplinary regulations, and the multiple violations could have justified expulsion, which also cuts retirement benefits.
His two-month suspension was upheld.
