윤일병 직접사인 구타, 갈비뼈 14개 부러진 채…‘충격’

Published : Aug 7, 2014 - 19:06 Updated : Aug 7, 2014 - 19:09

군인권센터가 윤 일병의 직접 사인이 음식물로 인한 기도폐쇄에 따른 뇌손상이 아닌 구타라고 밝혔다.

7일 군인권센터는 “윤일병은 가해자들에게 구타를 당하는 과정에서 의식을 잃었고, 이어 의식 소실에 의한 기도폐쇄가 발생해 사망에 이르렀을 가능성이 크다”고 주장했다. 앞서 군 당국은 윤 일병의 사망 원인을 ‘음식물로 인한 기도폐쇄에 따른 뇌손상’이라고 밝힌 바 있다.

이어 “사건 당일 윤 일병은 이모 병장에게 머리를 수 차례 맞은 뒤 갑자기 물을 마시게 해달라고 애원했고, 이후 주저앉아 옷에 소변을 흘린 뒤 의식을 잃었다며 직접적인 사망원인은 구타”라고 설명했다.

특히 “윤일병 부검 감정서에 갈비뼈 14개가 부러진 점 등이 명시된 것으로 볼 때 직접적인 사인이 구타에 의한 쇼크사일 가능성이 있다”고 밝혔다.

또 윤 일병이 연천군 보건의료원에 후송됐을 당시 이미 호흡과 맥박이 없는 의학적으로 DOA라고 불리는 사망상태였다고 덧붙였다. 당초 알려진 사망 시점도 왜곡된 셈이다.

주범인 이병장은 윤 일병이 사망하길 바랐고, 사건을 은폐하려 했다는 목격 병사의 진술도 함께 공개했다. 목격자는 이 병장으로부터 윤일병의 뇌사상태가 이어져 말을 못하게 되면 가슴에 든 멍은 심페소생술을 하다가 생긴 것으로 말을 맞추자고 했다고 진술했다.

이에 따라 군인권센터는 “가해자들에 의한 상해와 윤 일병의 사인 사이에 직접적인 연관관계가 있을 가능성을 의미하는 만큼 군 검찰관은 공소장을 변경해야 한다”고 요구했다.

윤일병 직접사인 구타 확인 소식에 누리꾼들은 “윤일병 직접사인 구타, 짐승만도 못한 것들”, “윤일병 직접사인 구타, 갈비뼈가 14개나 부러지다니 얼마나 고통스러웠을까”, “윤일병 직접사인 구타, 가슴이 아프다. 가해자들 엄벌해야 한다” 등의 반응을 보였다.

한편 군인권센터는 오는 8일 오후 7시 30분 서울 용산구 국방부 앞에서 윤 일병과 군 인권 피해자를 위한 추모제를 열 예정이다. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

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More evidence of botched response to Army private’s death emerges

Beatings were the direct cause of Army Private Yoon’s death, the Center for Military Human Rights Korea claimed Thursday, contradicting earlier reports from the military.

The center also said that Yoon was likely to have been already dead when he arrived at the medical center unlike what was written in the military’s reports.

Yoon, a 23-year old draftee with the Army’s 28th Infantry Division, died on April 7 after being beaten by senior soldiers in his unit.

“Yoon fell unconscious while being beaten by senior soldiers, and it is highly likely that he died when his airways closed up due to losing consciousness,” Lim Tae-hoon, head of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, said at a press conference on Thursday.

Lim also said that Yoon is likely to have suffered a concussion after a sergeant delivered several blows to his head and that a loss consciousness is likely to have occurred before his heart stopped due to the continued beating. The sergeant, identified as Lee, is the main suspect in the case, and is believed to have led the habitual beatings and mistreatment Yoon was subjected to.

“As (the evidence) suggests that there could be a direct connection between Yoon’s death and the injuries caused by the suspects, the military prosecutors need to change the charges.”

The military had initially announced that Yoon was transferred to the facility on April 6 after he fell unconscious and that he died on the following day while receiving treatment. In the report, the military had summarized that Yoon had fallen unconscious when his airways were blocked by food that he ate after he was beaten. Based on the report and the suspects’ claims that they attempted to revive Yoon, the military prosecutors have charged them with manslaughter instead of murder.

In addition to the Center for Military Human Rights Korea’s claims, Yoon’s autopsy report obtained by a local broadcaster indicated that the beatings are likely to have caused his death.

According to the report, bruising and internal bleeding had occurred all over Yoon’s body. The examiners also found a large edema in his brain and broken ribs. The report also states that his heart was bruised, internal bleeding had occurred in the chest and abdominal cavities, and his spleen was ruptured.

In addition, more evidence of the case being mishandled by the military has also emerged, adding more pressure on National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin.

According to Ministry of National Defense documents obtained by New Politics Alliance for Democracy’s Rep. Yoon Hu-duk, Kim received a report detailing the circumstances of Yoon’s death on April 8, when he was serving as defense minister.

The report was also submitted to a number of the military’s ranking officials including the deputy minister and chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Kim’s response, made on April 21, was to remove the commanders of the relevant regiment and battalions while keeping the division commander in place.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)