President Yoon Seok-yeol Approves 30-Day Extension of Special Investigation Period for Late Sergeant Lee Yeram

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] On the 11th, President Yoon Seok-yeol approved a 30-day extension of the investigation period for the special prosecution team led by Special Prosecutor Ahn Miyoung (age 55, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 25), which is investigating the death case of Air Force sexual violence victim, the late Sergeant Lee Yeram. With this approval, the special prosecution team can continue the investigation, originally scheduled to end on the 13th, until the 12th of next month.

On the 68th day since the investigation began, the special prosecution team conducted searches and seizures at about 30 locations, including the Air Force Headquarters, the Ministry of National Defense Military Court, and the unit where Sergeant Lee served during her lifetime, securing related materials. They also summoned and questioned about 80 people related to the case.

On the 4th, the team filed the first arrest warrant request against military official Yang (Yang Mo), affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense High Military Court, on charges of leaking investigation information about the sexual violence perpetrator to Air Force Legal Office Director Jeon Ik-su (age 52, Brigadier General) (official secret leakage, etc.). However, the court dismissed the warrant, stating that "it is difficult to sufficiently prove the risk of evidence destruction and flight."

During the extended investigation period, the special prosecution team plans to decide whether to reapply for Yang's arrest warrant. They also intend to summon former Director Jeon, who has been booked on charges of dereliction of duty and abuse of authority, to investigate allegations of investigation cover-up. Based on the psychological autopsy results of Sergeant Lee delivered by the National Forensic Service to the special prosecution team the day before, they are also expected to investigate secondary victimization allegations.

Previously, Sergeant Lee, who belonged to the Air Force 20th Wing, reported being sexually harassed by a senior non-commissioned officer in March last year. However, while the military prosecution investigation was ongoing, she took her own life on May 21 of the same year. The Ministry of National Defense, which investigated the case, filed criminal charges against a total of 25 people in October last year and prosecuted 15 of them. However, the command, including the 20th Wing military police and military prosecutors who handled the initial investigation and former Director Jeon, who supervised and commanded the military prosecution, was not prosecuted due to insufficient evidence, causing controversy.