Special Prosecutor Lee Myunghyun's team, which is investigating allegations of external pressure in the death of Marine Corps Corporal Chae, will summon Kim Taehyo, former First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, as a suspect for questioning on July 11 regarding the so-called "VIP rage" allegations.
Special Prosecutor Jung Minyoung stated during a briefing on July 8, "We plan to investigate those involved in the senior secretaries' meeting on July 31, 2023, in connection with the 'VIP rage' allegations," adding, "We will summon and question former Deputy Director Kim, who was one of the attendees at the time." Jung continued, "We will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the information reported and instructions given during the meeting, as well as the circumstances suggesting subsequent intervention by the presidential office." Kim is scheduled to appear for questioning at 3:00 p.m. on July 11. He will be questioned as a suspect on charges of abuse of authority in connection with allegations of investigation obstruction and external pressure.
The "VIP rage" allegation refers to suspicions that former President Yoon Suk Yeol became enraged during a presidential office meeting on July 31, 2023, after receiving an initial investigation report from the Marine Corps Investigation Unit regarding Corporal Chae's death. Reportedly, Yoon expressed anger by saying, "If the division commander is punished for something like this, who would want to be a division commander?" Subsequently, former Minister Lee is alleged to have abruptly instructed a media briefing and ordered a suspension of the case's transfer to the police. At the time, Kim was present at the senior aides' meeting and is suspected of witnessing Yoon's outburst.
The special prosecutor's team also announced that they are considering measures to suspend Kim Donghyuk, head of the Ministry of National Defense's prosecution unit, from duty. Kim is known to have been involved in the process of retrieving the Marine Corps investigation into Corporal Chae's case from the police.
Meanwhile, regarding allegations that First Lady Kim Keon Hee and the wife of former Division Commander Lim Sungkeun lobbied for clemency through a phone call, the special prosecutor's team stated, "It appears that the call records of Lim's wife were included in the materials received from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, but we are not yet at the stage of identifying the other party to the call."
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