Marine Corps Sergeant First Class Found Dead in Pohang with Missing Rifle

SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- A Marine noncommissioned officer who was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound last week was in charge of managing firearms and ammunition at an amphibious unit on the southeastern coast, the Marine Corps said Thursday.

The officer, who held the rank of sergeant first class, was found dead with a gunshot wound at a housing unit for Marine Corps officers in Pohang, some 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Aug. 3.

The Marine Corps said the late officer had secretly taken out one K1 rifle and 10 rounds of live ammunition without the unit knowing they were gone for at least three days before his death.

The late officer had reportedly taken out two K1 rifles from a weapons depot to exchange their gunstocks, but failed to return one of them, instead taking it home sometime between July 29-31, officials said.

The Marine Corps unit in charge failed to notice that the firearms were missing, raising questions about whether daily armory inspections and firearms management were properly conducted.

Following the incident, the Marine Corps has ordered an inspection of firearms and ammunition at all units and to examine the conditions of its troops.

The armed service has also been conducting an audit into the amphibious unit in question, as well as the 1st Marine Division, since Sunday over a recent series of incidents, including one involving a soldier leaving his unit last week without authorization before being captured four hours later.