An Army captain deserted his front-line unit and apparently shot and killed himself with a rifle after quarreling with his girlfriend, military police said Thursday.

The 33-year-old officer, only identified by his surname Jeong, was found dead in front of the home of his girlfriend, also an Army captain, in Jangseong, 308 kilometers south of Seoul, officials said.

The female captain, only identified by her last name Kim, reported to police at around 3:20 a.m., saying she heard a gunshot and found him dead in the corridor of her military residence hall after they quarreled, according to officials.

Jeong left his barracks in the 28th Infantry Division in Gyeonggi Province with a K-2 rifle and about 30 rounds of live ammunition after finishing his daily routine late Wednesday, the military police said, adding the two had briefly worked together in the same division.

“Jeong’s division held firearms training yesterday and it seems he didn’t return his rifle and ammunition,” an Army official said.

“We are currently looking into details of the case.” (Yonhap News)