Special Prosecutor Chae Sang-byeong to Summon Former Vice Minister of Defense Shin Beom-cheol Soon... Human Rights Commission Investigation Also Underway

[Financial News] Special Prosecutor Team Chae Sang-byeong (Lee Myung-hyun Special Prosecutor) plans to summon former Vice Minister of Defense Shin Beom-cheol, who is suspected of being involved in the dismissal process of Colonel Park Jeong-hoon, head of the Marine Corps Investigation Unit. 
Jeong Min-young, assistant special prosecutor for Chae Sang-byeong, explained at a regular briefing on the 2nd, "The forensic analysis of former Vice Minister Shin's mobile phone was completed yesterday," adding, "Once that is finished, the investigation into former Vice Minister Shin will proceed, and then the investigation into former Minister of Defense Lee Jong-seop is expected to follow."
The special prosecutor team announced that although the final selection process on former Vice Minister Shin's mobile phone has not been completed, the 'imaging' process of copying stored data has been finished. The exact schedule for the summons has not yet been determined.
Former Vice Minister Shin was involved in allegations of interfering in the dismissal process of Colonel Park Jeong-hoon, who was in charge of the initial investigation into the Chae Marine case, and was subject to a search and seizure by the special prosecutor.
In addition, the special prosecutor is conducting a fact-checking procedure regarding the 'perjury' investigation of former Public Prosecutor's Office Investigation Division 2 Chief Prosecutor Song Chang-jin, involving some special prosecutor dispatchers. 
Although only the 'perjury' charge was specified in the search and seizure warrant for former Chief Prosecutor Song, the special prosecutor intends to examine the handling of the case by the Public Prosecutor's Office and the reasons for the prolonged suspension of the case.
On the afternoon of that day, the special prosecutor plans to summon former Secretary-General Park Jin of the National Human Rights Commission and former Presidential Office Public Discipline Secretary Lee Si-won for investigation. Assistant Special Prosecutor Jeong explained regarding former Secretary-General Park, "The Secretary-General does not enter the subcommittee but oversees all matters related to the Secretariat," adding, "Former Secretary-General Park claims to be well aware of the events at the time and is confirming the facts that form the basis of the complaint." He also suggested that further investigations could continue regarding former Secretary Lee.
The Public Prosecutor's Office received a complaint of abuse of authority related to the death of Chae Sang-byeong at the end of August 2023. The following year, suspicions arose when it was revealed that Lee Jong-ho, former CEO of Black Pearl Invest, known as a close aide to First Lady Kim Kun-hee, participated in the 'Stylish Marine' group chat room, raising questions about whether it served as a lobbying channel for the rescue of former Marine Corps 1st Division Commander Lim Seong-geun. In particular, the controversy over the fairness of the Public Prosecutor's Office investigation grew as it was revealed that former Chief Prosecutor Song, who was acting as the deputy director of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the time, had previously defended former CEO Lee in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case.
Former Chief Prosecutor Song testified at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on July 26 last year, saying, "I did not know that former CEO Lee was involved in the Chae Sang-byeong case before July 10." Subsequently, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee reported former Chief Prosecutor Song for perjury, and the case was transferred to the special prosecutor for investigation.
Meanwhile, Colonel Park Jeong-hoon filed a human rights violation complaint and an emergency relief application against former Minister of Defense Lee Jong-seop, former Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan, and former Defense Ministry Prosecutor Kim Dong-hyuk in August 2023, but the Human Rights Commission dismissed it. The special prosecutor is also investigating whether there was any illegality in the process where the Human Rights Commission made a dismissal decision without referring it to the full committee.
 




scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter