Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor to Summon 'Lee Jong-seop's Aide' Tomorrow... 'Second-in-command of Marine Corps' Also Investigated Three Times

[Financial News] The Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor team (Lee Myung-hyun special prosecutor) will summon Park Jin-hee, former military aide of the Ministry of National Defense and close aide to former Minister Lee Jong-seop, as a suspect. Additionally, the special prosecutor has reportedly investigated Jeong Jong-beom, former deputy commander of the Marine Corps, who is well aware of the internal situation of the Marine Corps headquarters during the time when the controversy over investigation pressure related to the Chae Sang-byeong case arose, three times.
Jeong Min-young, special prosecutor for Chae Sang-byeong, announced at a regular briefing on the 10th that Park, the former aide, will be summoned as a suspect for abuse of authority and perjury on the 11th and 12th for two days. He stated, "Several reference investigations have already been conducted on Park, but from this week, a full-scale investigation into individual charges will be conducted as a suspect," explaining that "the investigation is likely to be conducted more than three times."
Previously, during the reference investigation process on Park, the special prosecutor team detected charges of abuse of authority during the reinvestigation process of the Ministry of National Defense's investigation headquarters surrounding the death of Private Chae and charges of perjury related to the trial of Colonel Park Jeong-hoon, head of the Marine Corps investigation team, for insubordination, and booked him as a suspect. Subsequently, at the request of the special prosecutor, Park was excluded from his duties.
Furthermore, the special prosecutor team announced that last week, Jeong, who is well aware of the discussion process within the Marine Corps headquarters, was investigated three times as a reference. Special prosecutor Jeong stated, "We confirmed the overall discussion content at the Marine Corps headquarters regarding the instructions of the then Minister of National Defense and the Marine Corps commander, the transfer and retrieval of records."
Jeong, the former deputy commander, was the second-in-command of the Marine Corps headquarters at the time when the controversy over investigation pressure arose immediately after the death of Private Chae, and had a face-to-face meeting with former Minister Lee Jong-seop on July 31, 2023, right after former President Yoon Suk-yeol was enraged. He is considered a person well aware of the situation under the instructions of then Marine Corps Commander Kim Gye-hwan.
Moreover, the special prosecutor summoned Shin Beom-cheol, former Vice Minister of National Defense, as a suspect for abuse of authority from 10 a.m. on this day. Special prosecutor Jeong explained, "We plan to confirm the overall content of discussions, reports received, and instructions given or received by former Vice Minister Shin at each major phase of the investigation pressure related to the death of Private Chae." The investigation on former Vice Minister Shin will continue on the 11th, and additional investigations are possible. After investigating former Vice Minister Shin, the special prosecutor team plans to coordinate the schedule for summoning former Minister Lee.
Former Vice Minister Shin appeared at the special prosecutor on this day, stating, "I will sincerely participate in the investigation," and "I believe the truth must be revealed for our country and the military." He is suspected of being involved in reducing the designation of high-ranking officials, including Lim Seong-geun, former commander of the 1st Marine Division, as suspects in the death of Private Chae by the Marine Corps investigation team in July 2023. Additionally, it was revealed that he was involved in the retrieval of the records of the Private Chae case, which was transferred to the police, while communicating with former President Yoon during the same period, leading to controversy.

scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter