'Investigation Pressure on Sergeant Chae' Former Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, First Suspect Status Investigation

[Financial News] The Special Prosecutor's team (Special Prosecutor Lee Myung-hyun) summoned former Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, the highest official of the Ministry of National Defense at the time, as a suspect on the 23rd to investigate allegations of pressure and concealment in the Sergeant Chae case. It was the first time the special prosecutor's team called Lee as a suspect since the investigation began on July 2nd, 83 days ago.
On the morning of the same day, Lee entered the special prosecutor's office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, at around 9:53 AM and briefly stated, "I will be sincerely investigated." He did not respond to questions such as whether he would have overturned the initial investigation approval even without former President Yoon Seok-yeol's rage, whether he thought he gave unfair orders to subordinates, or why he asked to exclude suspects, and headed to the investigation room.
Lee was the Minister of National Defense at the time of Sergeant Chae's death in July 2023 and is a key figure pointing towards former President Yoon, who is at the center of the investigation pressure allegations. In particular, it was revealed that he overturned the initial investigation approval of the Marine Corps investigation team right after a call with former President Yoon, making him a 'key man' to clarify the 'VIP rage theory' and investigation pressure allegations.
Lee admitted through a statement to the special prosecutor's team last July that he received a call related to the Sergeant Chae case from former President Yoon right after the 'VIP rage' meeting. It was revealed that the caller of the landline phone, '02-800-7070', identified as the starting point of the investigation pressure, was former President Yoon.
Lee was appointed as the ambassador to Australia in March last year, when he was under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and was banned from leaving the country, sparking controversy for allegedly fleeing.
On the 17th, Lee was investigated as a witness in the 'Ambassador to Australia Appointment Case' allegations, stating that former President Yoon first proposed the ambassador or special envoy, suggesting the possibility that former President Yoon planned and promoted the appointment of Lee, the key suspect in the investigation pressure allegations in the Sergeant Chae case, as ambassador to Australia.
The special prosecutor's team is expected to conduct at least three suspect investigations on Lee.



kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-kyu Reporter