'Denial of Yoon's Fury' Cho Tae-yong Appears at Special Prosecutor's Office... "Will Cooperate Fully"

[Financial News] Former National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong, who has denied former President Yoon Suk-yeol's 'fury', appeared as a suspect at the special prosecutor's office for the case of Corporal Chae on the 29th. Cho stated briefly, "I will cooperate fully with the investigation."
Cho appeared at the special prosecutor's office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, around 9:20 AM that day. He attended the chief secretary meeting presided over by President Yoon on July 31, 2023, as the National Security Office Director and was summoned for the first time regarding the Corporal Chae case.
When asked by reporters if he had directly witnessed former President Yoon's fury, Cho only replied, "I will cooperate fully with the investigation." He also refrained from commenting on whether he saw the president call former Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, saying, "I will cooperate well with the investigation. Thank you."
He remained silent on additional questions such as "What orders did the president give?" and "Didn't you say during the meeting that the investigation results were not reported to the president?"
Before Cho's appearance, Marine Corps reservists gathered in front of the special prosecutor's office, protesting, "Cho Tae-yong, tell the truth."
The so-called 'VIP Fury Theory' alleges that former President Yoon was furious upon receiving the initial investigation results of the Corporal Chae case, questioning, "Who would want to be a division commander if punished for such a matter?" It is suspected that he then ordered former Minister Lee to withhold the police transfer and cancel the press briefing, exerting external pressure on the investigation.
Cho is known to have stayed behind after the meeting with former National Defense Secretary Lim Ki-hoon to have a separate conversation with President Yoon. It was confirmed that after the initial investigation results of the Marine Corps investigation team were retrieved by the police on August 2, Cho had a phone conversation with former Minister Lee.
The special prosecutor's team plans to focus on how the investigation results were reported to President Yoon, his reactions and instructions afterward, and how those instructions affected the actual investigation.
Cho had previously denied the allegations of President Yoon's fury or the order to withhold the case transfer during a National Assembly session last year, stating, "The mission of the National Security Office is to assist the overall state affairs, not to grasp the details of specific investigations."
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Kim Tae-hyo, former first deputy director of the National Security Office, and other attendees of the meeting testified in the special prosecutor's investigation acknowledging President Yoon's fury, raising interest in whether Cho will change his previous stance.  



scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter