'Yoon's Rage' Witnessed, Cho Tae-yong's Second Appearance... "I Will Testify Truthfully"

[Financial News] In relation to former President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'rage rumor', Cho Tae-yong, former National Security Office Director, and Im Ki-hoon, former Presidential Office National Defense Secretary, who were attendees of the presidential office meeting at the time, appeared for the second time on the 8th before the Special Prosecutor's Team for Sergeant Chae Sang-byeong (Lee Myung-hyun Special Prosecutor). Former Secretary Im remained silent, while former Director Cho stated, "I will testify truthfully based on the truth."
The special prosecutor summoned the two to the special prosecutor's office for a face-to-face investigation starting at 9:30 AM today. Former Director Cho is a suspect, and former Secretary Im is a reference.
Former Secretary Im arrived at the special prosecutor's office around 9:20 AM. When asked by reporters about his 'position on the transfer of investigation records', he only replied, "I will speak to the investigative agency," and remained silent on whether former President Yoon's rage was testified.
Former Director Cho arrived around 9:40 AM. When asked why he changed his statement from saying there was no rage testimony in the National Assembly, he said, "I will be investigated faithfully." Regarding former President Yoon's instructions or external pressure on the investigation, he said, "I will go up and tell everything truthfully" or "I will testify truthfully based on my memory."
The two were attendees of the Chief Secretary Meeting presided over by former President Yoon on July 31, 2023, and it is known that in a previous investigation, they testified that former President Yoon was 'enraged' after receiving the initial investigation results of the Marine Corps investigation team. The special prosecutor previously investigated former Secretary Im on the 25th of last month and former Director Cho on the 29th.
At that time, it is reported that former President Yoon, after finishing the meeting, left former Director Cho and former Secretary Im behind and called Lee Jong-seop, the former Minister of National Defense, saying, "Who would want to be a division commander if you do it like this? I have emphasized it several times, so why did you handle the work like this?"
The special prosecutor is confirming whether there were specific instructions from former President Yoon during the process where the investigation records of the Marine Corps investigation team were transferred to the police and then retrieved.
The special prosecutor has captured the circumstances in which the incident's progress was conveyed to former President Yoon through former Minister Lee Jong-seop and former Director Cho. Based on this, the special prosecutor's team is expected to intensively question whether the two received direct retrieval instructions from former President Yoon.


scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter