Manager Yoo Jae-eun May Be Summoned for Investigation as Early as This Week
The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division (PCC) investigating allegations of external pressure in the death case of Marine Corps Corporal Chae has accelerated the investigation by initiating summons procedures for key suspects.
According to the legal community on the 24th, the PCC's Investigation Division 4 (Chief Prosecutor Lee Daehwan) recently notified Yu Jae-eun, Legal Affairs Officer of the Ministry of National Defense, and Park Kyunghoon, former Acting Head of the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters, to appear. Although former Minister of National Defense Lee Jongseop voluntarily appeared on the 7th of last month and was questioned for about four hours, this effectively marks the start of the first suspect investigation related to this case. The PCC, which conducted a search and seizure of the Ministry of National Defense prosecution team and investigation headquarters in January, completed forensic analysis of the seized items last week.
Gwacheon Government Complex High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency. Photo by Gongsucheo.
Yu Jae-eun is suspected of having called Colonel Park Junghoon (then head of the Marine Corps investigation team) on August 1 last year, instructing him to downplay the investigation details related to Corporal Chae's death. Yu claims that he only explained that since the police have investigative authority, they should transfer the case without specifying charges to avoid prejudgment. However, Colonel Park asserts that Yu exerted pressure by narrowing the scope of suspects to those directly at fault.
Recently, it was revealed that Yu communicated with Lee Siwon, Secretary for Presidential Public Service Discipline, during the transfer of the Marine Corps investigation results to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency, sparking controversy. Yu is expected to appear at the PCC for questioning as early as this week.
Former Acting Head Park is suspected of being involved in reviewing investigation records retrieved from the police by the Ministry of National Defense prosecution team, reducing the number of suspects from eight to two, and re-transferring the case to the police.
After the summons investigations of these two individuals conclude, investigations into higher-ups such as former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Im Seonggeun, Marine Corps Commander Kim Kyewhan, Ministry of National Defense Prosecution Chief Kim Donghyuk, former Deputy Minister of National Defense Shin Beomcheol, and former Minister Lee are expected to proceed sequentially.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has expressed its determination to pass the 'Special Prosecutor Act for Corporal Chae' during the 21st National Assembly. The related bill has been designated as a fast-track bill and was automatically submitted to the plenary session on the 3rd. The Democratic Party plans to handle it at the plenary session on the 2nd of next month.
Regarding this, a PCC official said at a regular briefing the day before, "From the investigation team's perspective, it is more urgent to proceed with the investigation according to the current schedule and plan," adding, "There is no room to consider the legislative situation of the special prosecutor bill."
The PCC has had vacant positions for both the chief and deputy chief for three months. Although Kim Seongyu, head of Investigation Division 1, who has already submitted his resignation, is acting as the chief, and Song Changjin, head of Investigation Division 2, is acting as the deputy chief, swift decision-making on politically sensitive matters such as the disposition of key suspects remains difficult.
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