Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Requests Arrest Warrant for 'Key Man' Kim Gye-hwan... First Attempt to Secure Custody

[Financial News] The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor's team (Lee Myung-hyun Special Prosecutor) requested an arrest warrant on the 18th for Kim Gye-hwan, former Marine Corps commander, who is called the 'key man' to reveal the reality of the 'VIP Rage Theory' related to former President Yoon Seok-yeol. This is the first attempt by the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor's team to secure custody.
The special prosecutor's side announced through a press notice in the afternoon that "an arrest warrant has been requested at the Seoul Central District Court for the suspect Kim Gye-hwan on charges including perjury with intent to harm." Perjury with intent to harm is a charge applied when a defendant or suspect gives false testimony in court with the intent to harm a disciplinary suspect.
It continued, "Kim Gye-hwan was the Marine Corps commander at the time of the Chae Sang-byeong death incident and was the superior who instructed Marine Corps Investigation Commander Park Jeong-hoon Colonel regarding the transfer of investigation records," explaining that "there is substantial reason to suspect the suspect of committing a crime, the crime is serious, and there is a high possibility of evidence destruction, thus a custody investigation is deemed necessary."
The special prosecutor's team summoned and investigated the former commander Kim twice on the 7th and 17th. During the last investigation, it was understood that the special prosecutor questioned the former commander Kim about the details related to the so-called 'VIP Rage Theory'.
In particular, they inquired about the instructions and comments made by the former commander Kim to Colonel Park Jeong-hoon and the statements made as a witness in the first trial of Colonel Park's 'insubordination charge', but it is reported that he testified he had not heard anything related to the VIP Rage Theory.
The former commander Kim is suspected of being involved in the process where pressure from higher-ups was applied to Colonel Park, who was in charge of the initial investigation of the Chae Sang-byeong death incident from July to August 2023.
The VIP Rage Theory alleges that former President Yoon expressed 'rage' during a presidential office meeting on the morning of July 31, 2023, after receiving a report on the initial investigation results of the Marine Corps investigation team related to the Chae Sang-byeong death incident, saying, 'Who would want to be a division commander if you punish them for something like this?' Subsequently, it is alleged that Lee Jong-seop, then Minister of National Defense, issued a media briefing and police transfer suspension order.

scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter