Opposition Reacts to Non-Prosecution Decision for Former Division Commander Im Seong-geun: "No Way but Special Investigation"

Jeong Cheong-rae "Can You Cover the Sky with Your Palm?"
Joguk Innovation Party "Presidential Mood Protection"

As the police decided not to prosecute former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Im Seong-geun, who was accused of professional negligence causing death and abuse of authority in connection with the death of Marine Chae Sang-byeong, opposition parties have continued to protest.

Jung Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, raised his voice on the 8th through his Facebook, saying, "Is there no true soldier who says, 'I take full responsibility, punish me and show leniency to my subordinates'?" and added, "Are you trying to cover the sky with your palm? Is this a country?"

Former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Lim Seong-geun is leaving the building after undergoing more than 22 hours of investigation in the morning of last May at the Criminal Mobile Unit of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency in Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, regarding the "Marine Corps Private Cha Sang-byeong's death in the line of duty" case.

Earlier, the Criminal Mobile Unit of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency decided not to prosecute former Division Commander Im, who was accused of professional negligence causing death and other charges, citing "no suspicion." The police stated, "The orders given by former Commander Im, who did not have operational control authority, do not constitute abuse of authority under criminal law," and added, "The operational orders were intended to faithfully carry out the search guidelines agreed upon with the firefighting side, and did not change existing guidelines or issue new instructions."

Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Jong-myeon also emphasized the need for a special prosecutor law regarding Chae Sang-byeong, saying, "As expected and planned, Im Seong-geun, the division commander, was excluded." On his Facebook on the same day, Noh wrote, "Despite clear evidence in KakaoTalk messages and voice calls that the division commander was blinded by publicity and demanded unreasonable operations from his subordinates, former Commander Im Seong-geun was excluded when the case was handed over to the prosecution," and added, "There is no way but a special prosecutor."

The Justice Innovation Party criticized the Police Investigation Review Committee for focusing on protecting the president's mood. Kim Jun-hyung, acting party leader of the Justice Innovation Party, said on the day, "This is an issue that enraged President Yoon Seok-yeol, who personally made calls here and there to 'save Im Seong-geun,' so it was impossible for the police to put him under investigation," and added, "The Investigation Review Committee should change its name to the Mood Protection Committee. What are they reviewing while only focusing on protecting the president's mood, not the people's expectations?"