Commander Kim Gye-hwan, who made 'Yoon's furious remarks' in the Chaesangbyeong case, finishes investigation and leaves after about 14 hours and 40 minutes of attendance

Regarding the investigation into the death of Marine Corps Corporal Chae and allegations of external pressure, Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan (Lieutenant General), who appeared before the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division (PCC) on the 4th as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority, completed his interrogation and returned home after about 14 hours and 40 minutes.

Commander Kim, who appeared at the PCC around 9:42 a.m. on the 4th, was questioned until about 10:25 p.m., then reviewed the interrogation records for about two hours before leaving around 12:25 a.m. on the 5th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 4th, Kim Gye-hwan, Commandant of the Marine Corps, appeared as a suspect at the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Department at the Government Complex Gwacheon.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

When Commander Kim appeared in the morning, as well as during his departure, he did not respond to reporters' questions such as "Do you still maintain that there was no external pressure on the investigation?" and "Why did you appear without a lawyer?" and left the scene without any comment.

The PCC Investigation Division 4 (Chief Prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan) reportedly prepared over 200 pages of questions and asked Commander Kim about whether he received any instructions from former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop, and whether he conveyed President Yoon Seok-yeol's angry remarks to former Marine Corps Investigation Unit Chief Park Jeong-hoon.

Commander Kim underwent the investigation without legal counsel that day. Both lunch and dinner were taken inside the PCC building.

As the highest commander of the Marine Corps, Commander Kim is suspected of being involved in the process of external pressure exerted on former Marine Corps Investigation Unit Chief Park Jeong-hoon (Colonel), who conducted the initial investigation into Corporal Chae's death in July-August last year.

At that time, former Chief Park intended to refer eight officers, including former 1st Marine Division Commander Im Seong-geun, to the police on charges of professional negligence resulting in death, but Commander Kim was involved in suspending this and reducing the number of suspects to two. The core of the suspicion is that there was involvement from higher-ups, including the Presidential Office.

Former Chief Park claims that the investigation pressure began due to President Yoon's anger, but Commander Kim testified as a witness at the Central Military Court in February that no such fact existed during the trial of former Chief Park's insubordination case.

In August last year, former Chief Park and the Democratic Party of Korea filed a complaint with the PCC against former Minister Lee and others, and the PCC conducted a search and seizure of Commander Kim and others in January this year.

After completing forensic analysis of the materials secured through the search and seizure, the PCC summoned and investigated Yoo Jae-eun, Legal Affairs Officer of the Ministry of National Defense, twice on the 26th and 29th of last month, and summoned and investigated former Deputy Director of the Ministry of National Defense Investigation Headquarters Park Kyung-hoon on the 2nd.

After concluding the investigation of Commander Kim, the PCC is expected to expand the investigation to higher-ups such as former Deputy Minister of National Defense Shin Beom-cheol and former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop.