The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (HCIC) has decided to resume the investigation into the 'Marine Corps Chaesangbyeong Death Incident External Pressure Allegation,' involving former President Yoon Seok-yeol, after partially wrapping up the investigation of military and police officials related to the December 3 emergency martial law.
President Yoon Suk-yeol is arriving at the Gwacheon Office of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on the 15th, when the execution of the second arrest warrant was underway. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju
An HCIC official stated at a regular briefing on the 8th, "Basically, almost all prosecutors have been deployed to the martial law case, so some degree of organization is necessary," adding, "It is not that the martial law investigation will be completed before restarting the Chaesangbyeong Marine Corps case; it can begin once some organization is done, but it is difficult to specify the timing or method here."
Regarding the possibility of summoning former President Yoon, the official said, "Basically, former President Yoon is also registered as a suspect," and "Issues related to summons or procedures are matters for the investigation team to decide."
Since 2023, former President Yoon has been accused by the Democratic Party and civic groups of exerting external pressure during the transfer of the Marine Corps investigation team's findings on the Chaesangbyeong death incident to the police, and of attempting to help former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop escape by appointing him as ambassador to Australia.
The HCIC plans to conduct the Chaesangbyeong case investigation concurrently even if the martial law case direction is settled but the investigation is not yet complete.
However, even if the HCIC determines that former President Yoon is guilty of abuse of authority related to the Marine Corps case, it does not have the authority to prosecute under the HCIC Act and must request the prosecution to file charges. Previously, the HCIC investigated former President Yoon and former Intelligence Commander Moon Sang-ho on charges of insurrection and handed them over to the prosecution and military prosecution respectively, and is currently investigating some military and police officials including Won Cheon-hee, Director of the Defense Intelligence Headquarters.
Meanwhile, the HCIC has assigned the case filed by civic groups accusing Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol of abuse of authority and violation of the Anti-Graft Act related to preferential hiring of Shim's daughter at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Investigation Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Lee Dae-hwan) for investigation. An HCIC official said, "It is difficult to comment on the investigation status, but it cannot be said that there has been no progress at all."
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