Military draftee gone AWOL arrested after 19 years

Man had deserted his riot police unit in 1988

Jeju police announced the arrested of a 40 year-old man for deserting his riot police unit in July 1988. The man has been operating a "noraebang," or Karaoke room, in Incheon.

The man was drafted into the Jeju riot police as part of his mandatory military service in December 1987. He is accused of "refusing to respond to publicly posted orders to return" after deserting in July 1988. His escape had actually been the second time he deserted the military. After leaving his unit earlier in 1988, he was given a light sentence and returned to his post before deserting again several months later.

He was arrested Thursday afternoon at Busan’s Gimhae International Airport when airport police became suspicious of the fact he was traveling on an airline ticket in someone else’s name.

He said he was on his way to Jeju to turn himself in. "I’d decided to fly to Jeju and surrender," he said. "I’ve been unable to lead a normal life because of the problem with my military service record. For example, I had to get my business license in my wife’s name."

According to a police official, the man cannot be charged with deserting the military because the statute of limitations for such a crime lasts only three years. But the government also posts "return to duty" orders in public places every three years, and he could be prosecuted for disobeying those orders, said the official.

All Korean men are subject to military conscription, and among those drafted, many are sent to serve as "combat police," Korea’s term for riot policemen. They are therefore subject to military protocol and procedures while serving as police officers, including the requirement to fulfill their military term.

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