13 military doctors arrested for alleged golf outings

Thirteen more medical officers have been arrested after allegedly playing golf while on duty, a military prosecutor said Wednesday, following the arrest last week of nine officers on similar charges, according to Yonhap News Agency.

"It`s now 22," an investigator at the Prosecutors` Office at the Ministry of National Defense said, declining to be named.

Nearly 90 more medical officers are likely to undergo investigation on suspicion of similar activity, he added.

The prosecution said Friday that it had arrested the nine officers for frequently playing golf while on duty and booked three without restraint. The new arrests took place over the weekend, the investigator said.

Medical school students usually serve as doctors in South Korea`s military, which runs a compulsory armed service for all able-bodied men.

The officers could face a prison term of up to a year if court-martialed. Those detained were held based on how many times they played golf during duty hours, but a military jail term would not affect their professional service after discharge, officials said.