Marine officer found dead in apparent suicide

By Kim Kwang-tae
SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- A Marine Corps officer was found dead on Wednesday in an apparent suicide, an official said, the latest in a string of suicides that have plagued South Korea's elite force in recent weeks.
The second lieutenant, identified only by his family name Kim, was found hung with a towel around his neck by one of his troops earlier in the day in a quarters at the 2nd Marine Division in Gimpo, west of Seoul, the official said.
The officer said in a note found in his pocket that "I am sorry for my parents and I had trouble due to depression," according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the issue's sensitivity.
The official said an investigation was under way to determine the exact cause of the death.
The incident came just weeks after three Marines, including a non-commissioned officer, killed themselves for various reasons.
The country's elite force has recently unveiled plans to address physical and verbal abuses after the July shooting rampage by a disgruntled Marine corporal killed four soldiers.
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